Category: English

CHAPTER “Gabriel, my heart hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?” My voice was weak as I spoke into the phone, my fingers tightening around it. A tired sigh filtered through the speaker. “Julia, I have a meeting with some clients. Can you go on your own? I’ll come find you later.” I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “Okay. Don’t overwork yourself.” Hanging up, I hailed a taxi to the hospital, pressing a hand to my chest as the pain pulsed beneath my ribs. It was bearable—because Gabriel was working hard for our future. Or so I thought. — Test results in hand, I stepped out of the doctor’s office—only to freeze in place. A familiar silhouette walked past the hospital corridor. My heart lurched. Gabriel. He… came after all? A flicker of warmth bloomed in my chest. Maybe he had finished his meeting early. Maybe he had rushed here the moment he could— The thought died the second I saw her. A delicate woman was tucked under his arm, her small hands gripping his coat like she belonged there. Gabriel wasn’t just standing next to her—he was looking at her. Not with duty. Not with indifference. But with tenderness. Love. A kind of love I had never seen from him. A kind of love that was never meant for me. I didn’t think. My body moved before my mind could catch up. “Gabriel Hall!” My voice cracked through the air as I marched toward them. His expression flickered with shock before settling into something unreadable. “Julia? What are you doing here?” My nails dug into my palm. “I told you I wasn’t feeling well. You said you were busy with work, but now you’re here?” My voice wavered, the betrayal stinging sharper than my aching heart. He sighed, as if I was being unreasonable. “I just finished up and came to accompany Harper. She’s been feeling unwell.” I turned my gaze to the woman pressed against his side. She smiled sweetly at me, but I didn’t miss the flicker of hatred that flashed in her eyes before she masked it. “I’m not your sister-in-law,” Harper murmured, her voice soft and fragile, yet laced with something deliberate. “Just Harper Jenkins. Gabriel and I grew up together.” A childhood sweetheart. I forced myself to breathe. “Gabriel, do you even hear yourself? It’s not that you have a childhood friend that bothers me— “It’s how you treat us differently.” His expression faltered. “You say she’s just a friend. But the way you look at her? The way you hold her?” I let out a bitter laugh. “You never looked at me like that.” For the first time, Gabriel had nothing to say. — Back at home, he helped me onto the couch, rubbing small circles on my back. “Are you jealous?” He teased, like this was some kind of joke. I lifted my head, searching his gaze for a single ounce of regret. I found none. I forced a smile. “I’ll go take a bath.” Turning away, I swallowed down the lump in my throat. But as I stepped into the bathroom, the pain in my chest flared up again. Was it my illness? Or was it him? — That night, my phone rang. “Julia, you better come tomorrow night. If you ditch me again, I swear you’ll regret it,” my best friend, Sophia Patel, huffed over the line. I tried to sound normal. “Alright, I’ll be there.” A pause. “Julia… something’s off. What’s wrong?” I hesitated, then exhaled. “I’m just a little sick.” Her tone immediately turned sharp. “Sick? Where’s Gabriel? Tell him to bring you water and medicine.” The words struck something deep inside me. Because in five years of marriage… Every time I was sick, every time I needed him— Gabriel always had an excuse. Always had something more important to do. And yet, for her, for Harper Jenkins— He always had time. The thought sat heavy in my chest, suffocating and undeniable. Maybe I had been blind for too long. Maybe love had been nothing but an illusion. *********** CHAPTER

The bar pulsed with energy, a mix of neon lights and deep bass vibrating through the air. The scent of alcohol, sweat, and desperation lingered, thick enough to choke on. Bodies moved together on the dance floor, strangers clinging to each other as if the night would never end. I pushed through the crowd, my gaze sweeping the room until I spotted Sophia at the bar. Her red dress clung to her curves in all the right places, her dark hair cascading down her back as she swirled her drink with a lazy smirk. Her eyes were sharp, scanning the room like a predator searching for its next conquest. “Julia, over here!” she called, waving me over. Sliding onto the stool beside her, I exhaled. Sophia grinned. “Look around, babe. So many handsome men, and you’re wasting your time on Gabriel. Pick one, and I’ll go get him for you.” I laughed, shaking my head. “Sophia!” She rolled her eyes. “I’m serious. Why are you still hung up on that bastard? What’s so great about him?” I tensed at the question. Sophia sighed dramatically. “I swear, I should just set you up with someone. Maybe then you’d finally realize how shitty he is.” “I need to use the bathroom,” I muttered, avoiding her gaze. Slipping off the stool, I made my way through the bar, the dim lighting and flashing strobes making it difficult to see clearly. But as I walked past a private VIP lounge, a familiar voice stopped me cold. Gabriel. Heart hammering, I edged closer, peering through the small crack in the door. What I saw made my stomach lurch. Harper was perched on Gabriel’s lap, her delicate arms draped around his neck, her lips curled in satisfaction. His friends lounged around them, laughing, drinking—egging them on. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” someone chanted. Gabriel smirked. And then he leaned in. Bile rose in my throat. My fingers curled into fists, nails biting into my palms as rage and heartbreak warred inside me. As if sensing my gaze, Harper suddenly turned—and smiled. A slow, smug, knowing smile. Like she had won. “When are you divorcing Julia?” Lucas Ross, one of Gabriel’s closest friends, asked, swirling the liquor in his glass. Gabriel chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement. “Divorce her? Please. You think I ever loved her?” Something inside me snapped. “She was just a means to an end.” My breath hitched. “If it weren’t for her family’s company, I wouldn’t have even looked at her.” The room erupted into laughter. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. “I used to hate the way she looked down on me,” Gabriel continued, his tone darkening. “Thinking she was better than me. I wanted to tear her down, make her beg for my mercy.” Lucas whistled. “Damn, so she was just a pawn?” Gabriel smirked. “She’s been under my control for years.” I staggered back, my chest tightening like a vise had wrapped around my ribs. Five years. Three years of marriage. It was all a lie. I turned, shoving past the crowd, my vision blurring as I rushed out of the bar. The cool night air slapped me in the face, but it wasn’t enough to ground me. I stumbled forward, my breaths coming out sharp and uneven. Above me, the sky loomed dark and endless. And then, as if mocking my pain— It started to rain. Cold droplets soaked through my clothes, drenching me to the bone. But I barely noticed. I was too busy trying to hold together the pieces of my shattered heart. *********** CHAPTER

I stepped into the apartment—the same place Gabriel and I had shared for three years. The warm, inviting home I had painstakingly decorated now felt like nothing more than an illusion. The walls, once filled with laughter and love, now mocked me with their silence. I had designed this place to be a home—for both of us. But in the end, I had just built a gilded cage for myself. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I collapsed onto the couch, exhaustion pulling me under. — When I woke up, the apartment was still empty. Gabriel hadn’t come home. Not even a text. What was I expecting? I let out a sharp breath, shaking off the weight in my chest. After making myself a simple breakfast, I decided to head to the office. But the moment I stepped out of the building, I froze. Gabriel was standing there—with Harper. I met his gaze, my expression unreadable. “Gabriel, have you sunk so low that you’re actually bringing your mistress home now?” Gabriel sighed, looking bored. “Harper has nowhere to stay. What kind of man would I be if I left her on the streets?” Harper clutched his arm, her eyes welling up with crocodile tears. “Maybe… maybe I should find somewhere else to live. I don’t want to cause problems between you two.” Her trembling voice was laced with just the right amount of pity. Gabriel’s expression softened instantly. “No, you’re staying with us. Julia has no right to refuse.” I arched an eyebrow, amusement flickering in my eyes. “No right to refuse?” I repeated, crossing my arms. “Gabriel, do you need a reminder? This apartment was bought with my money. You don’t get to decide who lives here.” His jaw tensed, and before I could react, he lifted his hand. As if he was actually going to slap me. I didn’t even flinch. I met his gaze, unshaken. “Go ahead. Hit me. I dare you.” Gabriel hesitated. But before anything else could happen, Harper grabbed my hand, her delicate fingers trembling. “Julia, please don’t fight with Gabriel because of me,” she whimpered, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’ll leave. I’ll go somewhere else.” And then, suddenly— She collapsed. Right there, at my feet. Her hand flew to her chest, her breathing ragged. “Gabriel… my heart… it hurts…” Gabriel’s face drained of color, panic flashing in his eyes. He turned on me instantly. “Julia, if anything happens to Harper, I’ll never forgive you.” I stilled. And then— Harper looked up at me, a smile curving at the edges of her lips. A smile meant only for me to see. Slowly, my fingers curled into fists, my nails biting into my palms. But I felt nothing. Not pain. Not anger. Just emptiness. This was the man I had loved for five years. The man I had shared a bed with. And now, I was just someone to blame. A sharp pain bloomed in my chest, but I swallowed it down, forcing myself to stand tall. I watched as Gabriel scooped Harper into his arms, his concern never once faltering. He didn’t spare me a second glance. I didn’t move. I just stood there, watching them walk away— My eyes as still and lifeless as a stagnant pool of water. ********** CHAPTER

The test results were grim. Harper Jenkins had a severe heart condition and needed a transplant immediately. But there was no matching donor. And Gabriel? He had been obsessing over finding one, neglecting everything—including his company. Just as desperation started clawing at his patience, someone approached him. “I know a way to get Harper Jenkins a heart transplant. But it depends on whether you’re willing to accept the proposal.” Gabriel’s eyes darkened as he studied the stranger—a man dressed in a long coat, his face obscured by a hat and mask. “And why should I trust you?” Gabriel asked, skepticism lacing his voice. The man pulled down his mask, revealing sharp, chiseled features. “Because I’m Dr. Benjamin Wright. A leading heart specialist from M Country.” Gabriel’s breath hitched. Dr. Wright? The name alone was enough to shake the medical world. Dr. Wright pulled out an ID and handed it over. “Verify it if you must.” Gabriel studied the identification, his mind racing. He didn’t have time for doubts. He had to take the chance. “What’s your solution?” Gabriel asked, his voice low and urgent. Dr. Wright leaned in slightly. “There’s no suitable match in the donor database. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a match outside of it.” Gabriel’s brows furrowed. “Explain.” Dr. Wright’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Your wife, Julia, had a recent heart exam. Her heart is in perfect condition. And… it’s a perfect match for Harper Jenkins.” The air around them turned suffocatingly heavy. Gabriel’s expression hardened. “There’s no other option?” Dr. Wright shook his head. “Either she consents… or you wait for another donor. But Harper’s time is running out.” Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “Prepare for the surgery. I’ll take care of Julia.” — That evening, Gabriel did something he never did. He cooked. The aroma of braised pork ribs filled the apartment as he set the table with practiced ease. The moment I stepped inside, my senses went on high alert. Gabriel turned to me with an easy smile. “Welcome home. Wash your hands and eat. I made your favorite.” I arched an eyebrow, crossing my arms. “Drop the act. Just tell me what you want.” His smile faltered. He set down the chopsticks and walked over, his expression grave. “Julia, Harper is dying. She needs a heart transplant, but there’s no available donor.” My lips curled into a smirk. “And what does that have to do with me?” Gabriel’s eyes pleaded with mine. “Your heart is a match.” A silence stretched between us. Then, I laughed. Actually laughed. His brows knitted. “Julia, please. Help her.” I tilted my head, feigning innocence. “Give up my heart… for your mistress? Why would I do that?” His patience snapped. “Because Harper Jenkins’s life is on the line!” I sighed, shaking my head. “Not my problem.” His hands curled into fists. “You’re really this selfish? You’d let her die?” I stood abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. “And what about me, Gabriel? Have you ever thought about my life? My well-being?” Slap. The impact sent my head snapping to the side. The sharp sting spread across my cheek, but I didn’t flinch. Gabriel’s voice was low and venomous. “You’re willing to watch Harper die, but you won’t take a risk for her?” I met his gaze, my eyes cold, unyielding. “And what if I refuse?” His lips curled into something dark. “Then don’t forget—I control the NovaTech Inc.. If you don’t agree, I’ll make sure you lose everything.” Something inside me snapped. I inhaled slowly, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. Then, I gave him exactly what he wanted. “Fine.” His eyes gleamed with triumph. I smiled. Gabriel Hall… you have no idea what you’ve just set in motion.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295839”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #校园School

My husband William found an abandoned baby with a heart condition on the roadside. He knelt before me with tears in his eyes, begging: “Honey, please look at how pitiful this child is. Can you save him? It’s just part of your liver. I promise I’ll get you the best artificial liver in the world later.” Softened by his plea, I donated part of my liver to the child. After raising the child diligently for eighteen years, William dropped his act. He threw the paternity test results in my face. “You fool, you really can’t tell good from bad! That’s my biological son. How could I not care about him?” But I felt nothing inside. Later, he proposed divorce and cut off the hospital’s supply of artificial liver for me. I waved my hand dismissively: “Do as you please.” … William Baker found a baby on the roadside with an envelope attached. It read: “Will repay your kindness in the future!” Before I could react, my husband was on his knees in front of me. When our eyes met, he was already crying uncontrollably. “Honey, please look at how pitiful this child is. Can you save him? It’s just part of your liver. I promise I’ll get you the best artificial liver in the world later.” “You’re older and can handle the pain of using an artificial liver, but the child is so young. Can you bear to watch him suffer?” This was the first time William had ever begged me for anything. Even more coincidentally, only my liver was a match for this child. I thought long and hard about whether I should agree. But I couldn’t resist his persistent pleading. In the end, I softened my heart and donated part of my liver to the child. For all these years, I’ve survived on an artificial liver. And my sacrifice seemed to have won William’s true love. Since I donated my liver, he always cared for and looked after me. He wouldn’t let me cook, preparing three meals a day himself. Fearing I might fall ill, he had a doctor check on me weekly. He said, “As long as you can take good care of our child, I’ll treat you even better in the future!” I believed his words and raised the child to eighteen years old. He had a nice name – Noah Baker. It sounded like he and William were brothers. When the SAT results came out, he excitedly placed his college acceptance letter in front of me. “Mom! I got into Harvard!” I stroked his cheek, crying tears of joy. “That’s wonderful. After your 18th birthday, Mom will throw you a graduation party!” My mother-in-law heard the commotion and came over. I showed her Noah’s acceptance letter. “Mom, look…” Before I could finish, she mercilessly threw the child’s acceptance letter on the ground and stomped on it twice. “Lily Smith, he’s just an adopted child. Why do you care so much about him? You’re even throwing a graduation party!” “Don’t tell me this child is yours with some other man?” “You and William haven’t had a child in all these years. Are you saving yourself for some other man?” Noah tossed aside the acceptance letter and pushed my mother-in-law away, protecting me. “Grandma, don’t you dare talk about my mom like that!” “She raised me for eighteen years! I’ll protect her for life!” Hearing this, my mother-in-law’s face twisted in anger as she raised her hand high. Instinctively, I shielded Noah. The next second, her palm struck hard against my back. Instantly, my artificial liver reacted. This was the first time in eighteen years I felt such intense pain in my liver. I gently leaned against the wall, slumping to the ground. Sweat beaded on my forehead. My mother-in-law, not feeling she had done anything wrong, pointed at me and yelled arrogantly: “Lily Smith, this is the child you raised – disrespectful and ill-mannered!” Her voice was so loud it nearly shattered my artificial liver.

At that moment, my husband returned. I looked towards the door, signaling to him. He hesitated for a moment before running to my side. Wiping away the tears from the corners of my eyes, he gently kissed my ear. “Honey, what’s wrong? Is your liver hurting again? Do you need me to take you to the hospital for a replacement?” Hearing this, my mother-in-law became even more enraged. “What? You’re going to spend more money on her? William, don’t say I didn’t warn you. You’ve been married for twenty years without having a child of your own. When am I going to have a grandchild?!” The next second, he cast me aside and stood up to pacify his mother. He quietly led her into the room. I don’t know what they were discussing. Noah helped me to the bedroom to lie down. But my liver was in excruciating pain. This year marks my seventh liver replacement. Seeing my face covered in sweat, Noah carefully wiped it away. “Mom, does it still hurt?” I shook my head, saying it didn’t. After a while, my husband brought his mother back. Surprisingly, she had completely changed her attitude towards Noah. She looked at her son with a smile: “Noah, my dear grandson, my own flesh and blood! Grandma was wrong earlier.” “Tomorrow, I’ll throw you a grand graduation party. I want everyone to know my grandson got into Harvard!” William, seeing how weak I looked, felt a pang of guilt. He came over and hugged me. “Lily, is your liver acting up again? Shall I take you to the hospital for a replacement?” Before I knew it, I had fainted in his arms. When I regained consciousness, I was in the hospital. In my hazy state, I overheard a conversation between William and the doctor. “William, are you really going to give Lily the worst artificial liver? Your family isn’t short on money, why treat her like this?” “The child is an adult now, there’s no need for me to keep up the act. Once Sophia returns, I’ll divorce her.” “But Lily’s health is deteriorating. I’m afraid if we give her this one… she might die.” William furrowed his brow and sighed. “Perhaps this is her fate.” I dragged my heavy body back to the hospital bed. Closing my eyes, I thought about everything he had done to me. The affair, tricking me into raising the child, taking my liver. William, did you really think I was that stupid? Or did you think Lily Smith was just an easy target? All these years, if it weren’t for the child’s sake, I would have filed for divorce long ago. I didn’t because Noah truly loved me as his mother. He genuinely cared for me. Who did Noah take after? His mother who loved being the other woman? His heartless father? Maybe… neither of them. Before the surgery began, I received a phone call. “Lily, I’ve found the information you asked me to look into.” As I was being wheeled into the operating room, William still held my hand tightly, tears streaming down his face. “Lily, you must come out safely, okay? The child and I are waiting for you!” I turned my eyes away, no longer wanting to see that disgusting look on his face. Once inside the operating room, I gripped the doctor’s hand tightly. “Doctor, I recorded everything you and William said today. Do you really plan to give me the worst artificial liver?” The doctor stepped back in fear. He hesitated before speaking: “This was William’s idea. We didn’t dare to disobey.” I chuckled softly. “How about I give you a million dollars? I want the best artificial liver!” In the end, the doctor gave me a good artificial liver for the money. I wondered, if I hadn’t overheard their conversation, Would I really have died? When I was wheeled out of the operating room, I looked at William. In the past, whenever I had surgery, he would anxiously wait outside. When I was wheeled out, he would be the first to rush over and ask if I was in pain. This time, there was none of that. He had his back to me, talking on the phone. A smile lit up his face. He seemed to be calling the person on the other end “baby.” But it didn’t matter anymore. I should have seen through him the day he brought home that abandoned baby. It wasn’t until the doctor called out that he turned around. Suddenly, his eyes brightened. He jogged over and grabbed my hand. Kissing it affectionately. “Lily, does it hurt? I’m so worried about you.” His eyes were still as gentle as ever. It was that look that kept me by his side year after year.

The first time I got an artificial liver, he knelt before the doctor, begging him to stay by my side. When he was next to me, he held my hand tightly, constantly praying that nothing would happen to me. But now, things have changed. That William Baker was long dead in my heart. I shook my head at him. “It’s fine, just an artificial liver. No need to be so concerned.” During my days of recovery in the hospital, William never came again. Even the nurses were gossiping outside. “Mr. Baker used to come every day, couldn’t bear to leave his wife for a moment. What’s happened now?” “Who knows? Every woman has her day of falling out of favor. She’s been abandoned, I guess.” I glared at them fiercely, scolding: “Do you want to experience the pain of having your liver taken out too?!” From then on, I was labeled as a volatile woman. The day William came to pick me up, He heard others insulting me. He no longer stood by my side to defend me. He just smirked. No longer caring for me like before. We sat in the car, and he spoke much less. Midway through, he received a phone call. After hanging up, his brows furrowed as he turned to look at me. “Get out.” I tilted my head in confusion: “Why?” He straightened up and turned his head, speaking righteously: “I have a client to pick up. You can take a cab home yourself.” ??? “William Baker, this is the highway! Are you trying to kill me?” I didn’t expect his patience to be so limited. He turned his head again. “Lily Smith, I said get out!” “I…” “Get out!” His tone grew louder with each repetition. I had no choice but to open the door and step out. Before I could even close the door, he immediately stepped on the gas and sped away. Leaving me standing alone on the highway, with no one to care. The traffic continued to rush by, occasionally a car would whiz past me, but none stopped. In desperation, I called William’s phone. It was turned off. Then I called my son. He anxiously asked for my location. Soon after, he took a cab to pick me up. In this world, only the son I raised from childhood cared about me. When he saw me, he held my hand tightly, tears falling onto my chest. “Mom, you’ve been through so much.” I choked up, and after a while, I spoke: “Noah, if your biological parents came back to find you, would you waver?” He shook his head firmly. “No, never. She abandoned me after giving birth. When I was about to die, it was you who saved me.” I nodded contentedly. The next day was Noah’s graduation party. It was also his 18th birthday celebration. Many reporters came today as well. Probably invited by William specifically. I just sat quietly in my seat, waiting to see William’s next move. The graduation party officially began. William stood up and looked straight at me. From his eyes, I could see a hint of challenge. “Hello everyone, I am Noah Baker’s father.” “To be precise, I am Noah Baker’s biological father.” The crowd below erupted in chaos. “What? How is that possible? I personally saw William pick up the child back then, how could he be his biological child!” “Yeah, this can’t be Lily Smith’s child. They did a paternity test at the time.” “So all these years, Lily Smith gave her liver to Noah Baker for nothing, all because she was deceived by William Baker? That’s too shameless!” William coughed twice and continued: “Today is Noah’s graduation party, and of course, it’s also the day my wife returns.” “Today, I’ve brought my wife here. We will witness Noah’s success together.” “Of course, I also want to thank my ex-wife, Ms. Lily Smith, for providing my child with a liver, giving him a new lease on life.” Then, he clapped his hands. A tall woman walked over and stood beside him. He skillfully wrapped his arm around her waist. In front of everyone, the two embraced and kissed. William looked at me challengingly once again. Then, he had his assistant bring me some documents. The top one read “Divorce Agreement” in large letters. The words stared at me, but I felt nothing inside. There was another document – a paternity test report.

“You fool, you really can’t tell good from bad! That’s my biological son. How could I not care about him?” This time, I laughed out loud. “William Baker, do you really think that child is yours?” William looked confused. Sophia Cruz stepped forward angrily: “You bitch! What are you saying?” “You probably don’t know how passionate we were back then. We even broke the bed. You say the child isn’t his? Do you have any proof?” William’s slender hand fell on the paternity test report. “Lily Smith! I don’t want any more entanglement between us. If you keep slandering Sophia, don’t blame me for being unkind.” “You might not know, but last time you got a liver transplant, I told the doctor to give you the worst artificial liver. Your days are numbered.” “If you don’t agree to the divorce, just wait for death!” I chuckled softly. I hadn’t even said whether I wanted a divorce or not, yet he was already angry. Did he think I wouldn’t divorce him? I took out a pen and signed the divorce agreement. He stared at me with wide eyes. Unable to believe I would agree to the divorce so easily. I stood up, holding a remote control in my hand. “William Baker, don’t you want to know whose child it really is?” “Now, you better open your eyes wide and see clearly!” Actually, I had long suspected William and Noah’s relationship. So I secretly did a paternity test. To my surprise, it turned out the child wasn’t his. This made me even more confused. William usually wouldn’t show compassion for anyone. Yet he knelt before me for an abandoned baby, asking me to donate my liver. I couldn’t believe he would be such a person. So I asked my police friend to investigate everyone William had been in contact with. Among them was a woman named Sophia Cruz. The two of them had been to hotels multiple times. Even the front desk staff remembered William. Every time he went, William would bring a bouquet of flowers. They all envied Sophia for having such a husband. Little did they know, I was his real wife. What William didn’t know was that after he left the hotel each time, another man would enter that room. That man was the child’s biological father. In the video, the voices of Sophia and that man were very clear. “My dear Sophia, the tests in America came back. They said our child might have a heart condition after birth.” “But I really want this child. Would you be willing to give birth to it for me?” “Alex, we’ve grown up together since childhood. Of course I want to have a child with you, but I don’t want our child to have defects.” “Recently, there’s been a man pursuing me, but he’s married. If I just give him a little encouragement and say the child is his, when it’s born and found to have a heart condition, he’ll surely find a way to deal with it.” After saying this, Sophia’s hand slipped into the man’s pants. “Alex, Sophia’s pregnant so we can’t go all the way~ Let Sophia help you with her hand.” The man’s coquettish voice echoed through the venue. William’s face instantly darkened. “Oh my god, this Sophia is so scheming! I can’t believe Lily Smith gave part of her liver for the child’s sake.” “I still think Lily Smith is the most pitiful one in this marriage. She gave everything for love but got nothing in return.” Sophia anxiously wrung her hands, panic flashing in her eyes. “William, it’s not like that. It must be Lily Smith!” “With technology so advanced nowadays, anything can be AI-generated. Lily Smith must have used this technology.” “William, do you know how much I love you? I’d give my life for you! You won’t doubt me because of this video, will you?” William hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at me again. Pointing at me and cursing: “Lily Smith, have you really become so bold? You’ve learned to lie?” “How could Sophia possibly deceive me! The paternity test can’t be fake, right? Do you really take me for a fool?” I stood up and slapped him across the face.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295856”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance

Three years after my death, my husband finally remembered me. The reason was that his childhood sweetheart’s granular leukemia had relapsed, and she needed another hematopoietic stem cell transplant. He came to the house where I used to live, wanting me to sign a donation agreement. But he found that no one had lived there for a long time. He asked the neighbors about me. The neighbor said, “You mean Caroline? She died long ago! I heard she was taken to donate bone marrow while she was sick, and passed away just a few days after returning home.” He refused to believe it, thinking the neighbor was in cahoots with me to deceive him. He impatiently snapped at the neighbor, “If you see her, please tell her that if she doesn’t show up within three days, I won’t pay a cent more for the medical bills of that bastard child she’s raising.” Seeing that he wouldn’t listen to reason, the neighbor shook his head and left, muttering, “Poor child, he starved to death long ago…” Three years after death, my son and I were still wandering spirits. Our attachments were too deep to enter the cycle of reincarnation. Meanwhile, my husband Harrison had clawed his way up from the bottom of society, transforming into an enviable new business tycoon. I had once betrayed him without hesitation when he was at his lowest point. So he hated me. He wanted to flay me alive and rip out my tendons. Three years ago, he forced me to donate bone marrow to his childhood sweetheart Faye when I was ill. Bone marrow aspiration is an invasive procedure. I don’t know if it was due to a procedural error or my weakened immune system from illness. A week after the bone marrow aspiration, I developed a severe full-body infection, fell into a coma with high fever, and died at home. My three-year-old son, left with no one to care for him, eventually died by my side. In these three years, Harrison never came to see us, nor did he make a single phone call. Now, I held my son Tommy’s small hand as we floated in the air, watching Harrison kick the gate of the small courtyard where I used to live, over and over. Three years without seeing each other, he had changed a lot. His eyes were cold and ruthless. Familiar yet strange. Behind him stood Faye, wearing a mask and dressed in flashy clothes. Looking at her rosy cheeks and well-proportioned figure, she didn’t seem ill at all. Tommy, hearing the “bang bang” of the gate being kicked, hid in my arms, frightened. He looked up at me, his bright eyes showing both excitement and fear. “Mommy, has Daddy finally remembered us? He hasn’t come to see us for so long.” “But he seems very angry. Did Tommy make him unhappy?” “And who’s that lady standing there?” I stroked his head, my heart aching, my throat feeling as if something was stuck in it, unable to say a word. “Caroline, come out right now! Stop pretending to be dead in there!” Harrison shouted at the courtyard. The commotion alarmed Mrs. Johnson, who lived in the neighboring yard. Mrs. Johnson came out and asked Harrison, “Young man, who are you looking for? This house has been empty for a long time.” Harrison composed himself and asked, “Doesn’t Caroline live here? Has she moved?” Mrs. Johnson’s eyes dimmed as she sighed, “You mean Caroline? She died three years ago.” Harrison was stunned for a moment. Mrs. Johnson continued, “I heard she was taken to donate bone marrow while she was sick, and passed away just a few days after returning home. It’s such a tragedy.” Faye’s expression changed, her face turning pale. She defended herself pitifully, “Ma’am, please don’t say that. Bone marrow donation is safe, it doesn’t kill people.” “If she didn’t want to donate bone marrow to me, she could have just told me directly. There’s no need to curse herself, it’s not auspicious.” She said this loudly on purpose, as if I might be eavesdropping in the courtyard. Harrison, who had been in a daze, immediately relaxed upon hearing Mrs. Johnson’s words. A mocking smile appeared on his face. “Does she find it fun to act all day? If she’s going to make up lies, at least make them believable. Tell her to check if there are any cases of people dying from bone marrow donation.” Mrs. Johnson didn’t understand what they were talking about. She just repeated, “Poor thing, she was dead in the house for several days before anyone found out…” Harrison’s face was as cold as ice. He said to Mrs. Johnson, “I don’t know why you’re collaborating with her to deceive me, but please tell her that if she doesn’t show up to donate bone marrow to Faye within three days, don’t blame me for cutting off the dialysis treatment fees for that bastard child she’s raising.” Mrs. Johnson was dumbfounded. Then she shook her head, sighed, and prepared to return to her own yard. Harrison warned coldly behind her, “Remember! I’m only giving her three days. If she doesn’t show up, I won’t transfer a single penny of living expenses to her this month. Let her watch that bastard child die right in front of her.” Mrs. Johnson, with her back turned, had tears in her eyes. She muttered, “Poor child, he starved to death long ago. If only I could have gone over to check, I might have been able to save the child’s life…”

“Harrison, is it because Caroline doesn’t want to donate bone marrow to me, so she’s hiding?” Faye’s expression was on the verge of tears. Harrison affectionately ruffled her hair. “Silly girl, it’s just a little leukemia. Even if Caroline doesn’t donate bone marrow, I’ll search the whole country to find a suitable match for you.” Faye pouted and said, “But Caroline’s bone marrow has almost no rejection in my body. The doctor said he had never seen two people with such a high degree of bone marrow compatibility.” Harrison glanced at the locked gate, his tone filled with determination and promise: “Then for you, I’ll dig three feet into the ground to find her!” At that moment, my heart still inevitably ached. Looking at the two people standing in front of me, memories from years ago floated before my eyes. Harrison and I were college classmates. Back then, he was like the morning sun piercing through thin fog, warm and dazzling. I was the one who fell in love first. We got together after graduating from college. I once saw him as my salvation, my whole heart and eyes were filled with him. I followed him to start a business, to endure hardships together. He promised to take care of me for life. At first, he really did so. But ideals ultimately couldn’t withstand reality. In the early days of his startup, I often went with him to negotiate business deals. It was then that I met Lucas, the heir of Radiance Group. Lucas was a spoiled rich kid, working just for the experience of life. Ever since he saw me, he kept buzzing around me like a fly, even taking advantage of drinking occasions to get handsy with me. Finally, during one incident when Lucas tried to embrace me while drunk, Harrison directly smashed a wine bottle over his head. Because of this incident. Not only did we lose Radiance’s order, but we also had to pay all our savings to prevent Lucas from sending Harrison to prison. Of course, what we actually paid was far more than just that. That night, he held me in his arms and apologized to me. He said he was sorry, that when he succeeded one day, he would never let anyone bully me. Indeed, after his success, no one else bullied me. Only he did. I don’t want to reminisce anymore. I looked at that face that I hadn’t seen for many years but had become even colder and more ruthless. The stuffy summer wind messed up his hair and deepened his already furrowed brow. Making him look lost in thought. He held Faye in his arms, his gaze fixed on the half-foot-tall weeds at the courtyard entrance, lost in thought.

The year I “betrayed” Harrison was our second year of marriage. By then, I was already over a month pregnant. Only, neither of us knew about it yet. At that time, Harrison’s business had started to show some promise and had also secured several investments. It should have been steadily developing, but for some reason, it suddenly hit a slump, and even the investments that had been agreed upon were all withdrawn. The capital chain broke, and products began to have problems one after another. Bank loan payments were defaulted, and the mortgaged house, car, and factory were all about to be repossessed and auctioned off by the bank. During those days, Harrison couldn’t eat or sleep. To make matters worse, Harrison’s mother was diagnosed with cancer that year and needed a huge amount of money for treatment. I pulled some strings to investigate the cause and found out that the person behind sabotaging Harrison’s company was none other than Lucas, whose head Harrison had smashed with a wine bottle years ago. At this time, he also approached me. He said he could get the investment company under Radiance Group to invest in Harrison’s company, and could also pay for Harrison’s mother’s treatment. I knew he must have conditions. Would the devil do charity out of kindness? If he didn’t want his life, he must want to take something more important than life. I asked him what was the meaning of doing this? Lucas’s expression was filled with contempt: “I do what I want, do I need any meaning? I just like to see you insects, furious yet helpless against me.” “Besides, I haven’t gotten revenge for him smashing my head and making me bleed that time. Now it’s time for him to pay back.” I didn’t understand Lucas. He had a hundred ways to make Harrison miserable, but he specifically chose me. After many years, I still clearly remember the scene from that day. In the dimly lit private room, Lucas held me sitting on his lap. Harrison, who pushed open the door with the contract in hand, froze in place when he saw me clearly. With reddened eyes, he asked hoarsely, “Why?” I told him: “You can’t give me the life I want, but Lucas can…” Lucas laughed loudly. His greasy hand pinched my waist. I felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing my heart, utterly humiliated, yet I still giggled and dodged in response to the man’s touch. “Harrison, isn’t this good? I help you get resources, you sign contracts with Radiance, it’s mutually beneficial.” Disappointment gradually filled Harrison’s eyes. But he still firmly reached out his hand to me: “Caroline, come here! I don’t need you to do such things. The life you want, I will work hard to give you in the future.” His tone was pleading, his expression so desolate. At that moment, my heart felt as if it was being crushed back and forth by a thousand-pound stone, almost unable to breathe. He said: “Caroline, I don’t have to sign today’s contract, come home with me…” The once so confident and proud man, proud enough to unhesitatingly swing a wine bottle at the head of Radiance’s heir, was now begging so humbly. Lucas laughed arrogantly and gleefully. “Harrison, the woman you valued is nothing more than this. With just a crook of my finger, she crawled into my bed.” “So, what was the point of you smashing that wine bottle on my head back then? Haha…” Harrison ignored his words, just staring fixedly at me. I smiled as I clung to Lucas’s neck, smiling at him: “That’s right, Harrison, take it easy, don’t take things too seriously.” I don’t remember much about what happened later that night. I only remember that he signed the contract, his eyes blood-red, and said to me: “Caroline, in this life, we’ll never be done with each other!” Later, he went crazy developing his business. In just a few short years, he developed from a startup company into a listed company, and even became an industry leader in the previous year. He succeeded. And I became the biggest stain in his life. 3 Of course, I didn’t show up during the three-day deadline he gave. Harrison came to the gate of my small courtyard again. My son excitedly circled around his father, putting his transparent little hand into Harrison’s large hand hanging by his side. He turned back and jubilantly shouted to me: “Mommy, I’m finally holding hands with Daddy!” My eyes stung with tears, and I forced a smile at him. All these years, Harrison had always thought our son was Lucas’s, and he despised him, not even willing to give him a single glance. Although I had done a paternity test, which showed they were biologically father and son. He still refused to believe it, thinking I had paid for a fake report. Ever since that night, I lost all trust from Harrison. I asked him for a divorce. I also wanted to end this pathological relationship. But he just glared at me viciously: “Caroline, remember, you owe me for life, I said we’d never be done with each other.” “Divorce? Dream on!” He brought countless female companions home to spend the night, being intimate in front of me. Whenever I argued, he would tell me to think about how dirty I was when I rolled around with Lucas. This situation continued until Faye returned to the country. Since Faye came back to his side, he cut off all contact with those women from before. The two of them openly went out together. Even Harrison’s business partners referred to Faye as “Mrs. Ho”. My thoughts were pulled back to the present. I watched as Harrison stood at the gate calling me. The phone played a mechanical electronic voice, prompting that the number was out of service. He frowned, opened my WeChat, where the last message was still the one he sent me three days ago, urging me to show up soon to do the bone marrow match for Faye. Of course, I hadn’t replied. He opened my Moments, and when he saw the photo I posted four years ago, his hand paused for a moment. It was a candid shot I had taken, of him sitting on the sofa, our two-year-old son hugging his arm, resting his cute little head on Harrison’s shoulder. At the time, I thought it was beautiful and took the picture, but the next second he disgustedly pushed our son away. He enlarged the profile picture and looked at it for a good while, then returned to the chat box and sent me a message, “Caroline, you brought this on yourself. The three-day deadline is up, from today on I won’t transfer a single cent of living expenses to you.” He waited for a long time but still got no reply, so he raised his foot and kicked the gate hard. Tommy, who had been happily circling around Harrison, was frightened by this sudden action and trembled. He pouted and burst into tears, running into my arms: “Mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy suddenly? I’m scared…” I held him in my arms to comfort him: “Don’t be afraid, Tommy. Daddy can’t hurt you anymore. Look, there are butterflies over there. Do you want to fly over and play with the butterflies for a while?” I tried to distract him. Tommy turned his head and saw several butterflies fluttering. He broke into a smile through his tears, quickly wiped his eyes, and flew towards the butterflies. After kicking the gate twice, Harrison became even more irritated. He kept massaging his temples, then took out his phone and made a call. “Hello, is this the locksmith?” …

Half an hour later. Harrison pushed open the gate that was already covered in cobwebs. The grass in the courtyard was even deeper than at the gate, reaching up to Harrison’s waist. This place had obviously been abandoned for a long time. He stood in the courtyard, hesitating to go further. He had been here twice before, and he should remember that I had kept the courtyard well-maintained, not like the scene before him now. The first time he came was to send me and our son here. At that time, our two-year-old son had just been diagnosed with uremia, caused by congenital kidney dysplasia. He found the child inauspicious, so he bought this small farmhouse courtyard in a remote village town and had me and our son move here. He transferred 20,000 yuan in living expenses to me each month, which included our son’s dialysis treatment fees. The second time he came to this small courtyard was to forcibly take me to do a bone marrow match for his first love, Faye. If he still remembered, he would surely recall that the small courtyard was full of hydrangeas and roses. I had also made a swing for our son. While he was still in a daze, Faye’s call came in again. Her voice sounded a bit weak: “Harrison, have you seen Caroline? Will she come for the matching today?” Harrison comforted her: “I’ll handle this matter. You just cooperate well with the doctors’ treatment, don’t worry.” Faye’s voice choked up: “I know Caroline probably doesn’t want to donate bone marrow to me again. I can understand. She’s already saved me once, I can’t be greedy and ask her to save me a second time. If she’s hiding now, I don’t blame her, really…” It seemed to confirm that I was deliberately hiding because I didn’t want to donate bone marrow to her. Harrison was silent for a few seconds. To my surprise, he didn’t take Faye’s side. He said: “It’s not like that. I haven’t been able to contact her yet. How could she know in advance about your leukemia relapse and hide beforehand?” Faye was taken aback. She quickly explained: “Harrison, you misunderstood. That’s not what I meant.” Harrison interrupted her: “Faye, don’t worry. As long as Caroline is still alive in this world, I will definitely find her. Even if she’s dead, I’ll make her donate bone marrow to you before she dies.” Faye breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this. After hanging up the phone, Harrison stood in front of the house door for a long time. Although the door wasn’t locked, he still didn’t push it open. If he had opened it, he would have seen… Two outlines drawn with white chalk. Those were drawn by the police after my son and I died. But he just stood there. In the end, he retreated from the courtyard again, bought a new lock from the locksmith, and locked the gate.

I discovered a strange phenomenon. As long as we followed Harrison, we could leave the place that had been constraining us. My son had been bored here for three years, so I decided to take him out for a stroll. He was very excited, constantly looking around and making various exclamations. But it seemed we couldn’t go too far away from Harrison. We followed Harrison back to his villa. My son was amazed at the luxuriously decorated villa, his mouth agape. He had lived here before he was two years old. But after so many years, he had probably forgotten. He flew around everywhere to look, while I floated with Harrison to his study. I watched him call the bank to freeze the supplementary card he had given me. Actually, if he had been more attentive, he would have noticed that he hadn’t received any consumption information for exactly three years. The money he had transferred to the supplementary card in these three years hadn’t been touched at all. He thought that after freezing the bank card, I would surely appear within a week. After all, our son’s uremia required constant dialysis before a kidney transplant. Twice a week, I couldn’t do without money. After doing all this, he opened his phone’s photo album and stared at it intently. I floated behind him and found that what he was looking at was actually the photo I had posted on WeChat. The photo of him and our son together. The faces of the big and small figures were like copied versions, with broad foreheads, thick eyelashes, slightly upturned eye corners, identical eyebrows, all speaking to the wonders of genetic inheritance. He wasn’t a fool. Of course he could see it. A phone ring broke the silence of the study. It was from the hospital. Faye had suddenly fallen into a coma at the hospital.

Harrison grabbed his car keys and rushed out. My son and I could only be forced to fly with him to the hospital. Perhaps running too hastily, Harrison bumped into a man wearing a high-end suit in the hospital lobby. I recognized the man, it was Lucas. Lucas stumbled back two steps. When he steadied himself and saw it was Harrison, he showed a surprised expression. “Well, if it isn’t our new tycoon Mr. Ho from South City. What brings you to the hospital so late at night, running in such a hurry?” Harrison hurriedly apologized and then directly bypassed him, running quickly towards the elevator. Lucas, however, persisted and quickly followed behind him, all the way to the hematology inpatient department. Faye wasn’t in her room, so Harrison rushed to her attending physician’s office. Only after learning that she was in the observation room, not in a coma but just dizzy from anemia, did Harrison finally breathe a sigh of relief. He sat down panting in the caregiver’s chair in Faye’s hospital room, staring blankly at the floor. It was clear that he was truly worried about Faye. Lucas leaned against the doorway of the room and asked with interest, “I thought your little childhood sweetheart’s illness was cured. Why is she back in the hospital?” Harrison didn’t want to discuss it, only replying flatly, “It relapsed.” In recent years, he had continued to have business dealings with Radiance, with more and more collaborative projects. Three years ago, Lucas had been forced by his father to go abroad, and the company’s business was handed over to other executives. Without Lucas causing trouble, Harrison’s career flourished even more. “So whose life do you plan to exchange this time?” Lucas suddenly asked. Harrison glanced at him as if looking at an idiot. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lucas scrutinized his expression, the corner of his mouth revealing a strange smile. “You really are quite good at pretending. Sometimes I can’t tell if you’re being genuine or fake.” Harrison had already lost patience. He said in a low voice, “Mr. Lucas, if you have something to say, just say it. Being evasive isn’t like your style.” Lucas said, “I mean, isn’t Caroline already dead? Whose bone marrow do you plan to use to save your little sweetheart this time?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295872”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance

The moment my father-in-law’s body was wheeled into the crematorium, my mother-in-law began dry heaving uncontrollably. As soon as my father-in-law was taken into the crematorium, my mother-in-law started gagging and retching. My husband and mother-in-law insisted on keeping this “posthumous child.” Out of concern, I gently mentioned that, at her age, her health might not allow it. In return, they ruthlessly beat me up. Who would’ve thought that, a few months later, my husband would end up with a little Black brother?! “Ugh… ugh…” My husband, Daniel, quickly rushed to steady her. A flicker of panic crossed her face before she suddenly straightened up, blushing slightly. “I… I’m pregnant,” she announced shyly. What?! I blinked, shaking my head as if I’d misheard her. Smiling sweetly, she repeated, “Daniel, you’re about to become a big brother! The baby is already three months along.” I glanced at the roaring flames of the furnace and then back at my mother-in-law, who was nearly sixty. My mind went blank. It took me a long moment to recover my voice, and when I did, I asked hesitantly, “Mom, are you planning to keep the baby?” Before I could even finish my sentence, Daniel’s hand came down hard across my face. “How dare you speak to Mom like that?” he roared. “That’s my little brother she’s carrying, and you dare to have such cruel thoughts?!” Clutching my burning cheek, I licked the blood pooling in my mouth from my loosened teeth. Tears streamed down my face as the pain radiated through me. “But Mom is already fifty-eight,” I tried to explain through sobs. “I’m just worried about her health.” Suddenly, my mother-in-law ran toward the furnace, wailing dramatically, “Honey, wait for me! Don’t leave me behind!” “Come back and take me with you! I don’t want to stay here and be a burden to anyone anymore!” Daniel grabbed her around the waist, holding her back. “Mom, as long as I’m here, this family will always belong to the Du name. I’ll handle everything. Don’t listen to this dog barking!” I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. So, in Daniel’s eyes, I was nothing more than a dog. Relatives attending the funeral gathered around, their voices rising in condemnation. “How could you be so heartless? Mom always treated you like her own daughter!” “Exactly! A woman has the right to choose to give birth, no matter her age!” “That’s your little brother in there! As the eldest daughter-in-law, you should act like a mother figure to him. How could you think something so vile?” “Late-life pregnancies are a miracle! It’s a blessing from above, and it should be cherished.” Daniel’s uncle slapped his thigh, declaring, “This child must be born. It’s the last piece of my brother’s legacy!” My mother-in-law, her face glowing with pride, sat in the center of the crowd, basking in their congratulations. Ding. My phone buzzed. It was a text from the bank, reminding me about our overdue mortgage payment. I stared at the pitiful balance in my account and laughed bitterly. For three years, Daniel and I hadn’t dared to have kids because we were saving every penny to pay off the house. “Let’s wait until the timing is right,” he’d always say. Now, this man—who couldn’t even afford a child of his own—wanted to raise a baby for his mother? He must’ve lost his mind. Fury surged through me, and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Sure, go ahead and have the baby!” I shouted. “Do you think having it is the end of the story?” “Doctor visits, hospital stays, diapers, formula—none of that is free!” “Fine, have the baby! But who’s going to pay for all of it?!” The room fell silent, the previous noise replaced by an eerie quiet. My mother-in-law burst into shrill sobs. “I can’t live like this anymore! I’m old and unwanted everywhere I go!” “What did I do wrong? This is the last gift my husband left me. How could I possibly abandon it?” Daniel stormed toward me, his face twisted with rage. He kicked me hard in the stomach, sending me sprawling to the floor. Grabbing a fistful of my hair, he slapped me repeatedly across the face. “You’ve got some nerve, don’t you?” “This is my dad’s posthumous child—his final gift to us.” “I can’t believe I married such a vicious woman!” His bloodshot eyes bulged, veins popping on his forehead. He looked like a demon thirsting for blood. For the first time, I truly saw him for who he was. I struggled, but my strength was no match for his. The relatives stood by, watching silently. No one stepped in to stop him. In fact, they chimed in, their words cutting deeper than Daniel’s blows. “If I had a wife like her, I’d have beaten her 800 times by now.” “Disgraceful! A bad wife ruins three generations!” Blood blurred my vision, and through the crimson haze, their faces twisted into grotesque, ghastly masks. It wasn’t until a crematorium staff member intervened, shouting, “What are you doing?! Hitting someone is illegal! If you don’t stop, I’m calling the police!” Daniel finally let go, leaving me crumpled on the ground. The crowd surrounded my mother-in-law like loyal subjects, escorting her out with their heads held high. Not a single one of them looked back at me. I felt like a deflated balloon, all the strength and spirit drained from my body.

I thought Daniel was just acting out because he couldn’t handle the shock of losing his father so suddenly. So, instead of calling the police, I went to the hospital alone to get my injuries treated. But as soon as I walked through the hospital doors, I saw Daniel helping his mother walk inside. He frowned at me in irritation, barking, “What are you standing there for? Go pay the bill already!” Before I could respond, he shoved a thick stack of payment slips into my hands. I glanced at the total—and my vision went black for a second. Ten thousand dollars?! For reference, Daniel and I together only make $8,000 a month. “So many tests?” I asked, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. Daniel glared at me, his temper flaring. “What? Do you know any pregnant woman who skips prenatal care?” “Mom’s older, which makes it even more important. We can’t afford to take any risks without a full examination.” Oh, so now Daniel suddenly cares about her age? Newsflash: women over 35 are considered high-risk pregnancies. Mother-in-law is pushing 60, and she still wants to have a baby? If people heard about this, they’d laugh until their jaws fell off. Seeing that I hadn’t moved, my mother-in-law chimed in with a passive-aggressive tone, “Oh, son, it’s fine. If Claire doesn’t want to pay, I’ll just skip the tests.” “Sure, I’m old, and my health isn’t great, but for your father’s sake, I’ll grit my teeth and push through.” Daniel’s rage exploded. “Are you out of your mind? Do you know the difference between a pregnancy checkup and your stupid money?!” “Is Mom’s health less important than your measly dollars?!” My chest tightened like it was being crushed in a vice. I couldn’t breathe. This is the man I’ve loved for years? The same man who slapped me just for voicing concern? The same man now threatening me over this? Fine. If they refuse to listen to reason, I’ll respect their fate. I forced a smile and said sweetly, “Honey, what are you saying?” “Of course, nothing’s more important than Mom’s health. We absolutely have to do the tests—the more expensive, the better.” “Let’s make sure she gets a full, head-to-toe, thorough examination.” My sudden agreement seemed to please Daniel immensely. He sneered, “Finally, you’re making sense. And while you’re at it, ask the doctor if there are any additional tests we can add.” I nodded enthusiastically. “Will do!” Mother-in-law’s doctor, however, frowned as he spoke to me. “The patient’s age is far too advanced, and she has several pre-existing conditions. She’s not fit for pregnancy.” “You should seriously consider your options as a family. If this continues, there could be significant risks to her life.” I laughed quietly to myself. Significant risks? Perfect. Let’s see how far this reckless stupidity will take them. Putting on a concerned face, I said, “Doctor, this is my father-in-law’s posthumous child. My mother-in-law and husband are adamant about keeping it. As a daughter-in-law, I can’t really say much.” “But if there are any other tests she needs, please add them. We want to do everything possible.” The doctor tapped his pen against the desk. “In my professional opinion, your mother-in-law’s body won’t even last until full term.” “Later on, you’ll be looking at astronomical medical bills. I urge you to reconsider.” With the newly added tests, I practically skipped back to Daniel and my mother-in-law, waving the stack of bills like a trophy. Beaming, I praised my mother-in-law, “Mom, you’re amazing! The doctor said you’re a medical miracle—a real hero!” Mother-in-law’s face lit up with pride, her mouth curling into a self-satisfied smile. “We older folks may be up there in years, but our bodies are strong as ever,” she boasted. “Not like you young people—always complaining about this pain or that ache. It’s pathetic!” I smiled but didn’t respond to her nonsense. Fine, let them bask in their arrogance for now. The storm is already brewing, and it’s coming straight for them.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295889”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #校园School #重生Reborn

I can see the cheating rates hovering above everyone’s heads. When the rate hits 100%, it starts counting the number of times they’ve cheated. I’ve been married for three years, and my husband has always treated me like a queen. Everyone praises him, calling him the perfect husband. But only I know the truth. The number above his head says: 56. It started about six months ago. My gentle, caring husband’s cheating rate suddenly changed. Overnight, it jumped from 0% to 50%. At first, I didn’t think much of it. After all, men are men. They’re bound to scroll through a few TikToks of girls in skimpy outfits. A momentary thrill is inevitable. Even my best friend, Abby, has fluctuations in her cheating rate whenever she switches celebrity crushes. But soon, I realized something was off. The number didn’t go down. Instead, it climbed higher every day. In just three days, his cheating rate hit 68%. Now that was interesting. I started to get curious. Who was the little temptress stealing my husband’s attention?

Quinn and I had a whirlwind romance. He’s seven years older than me, with a stable job, a charming sense of humor, and undeniable good looks. But his family? Not so great. His dad is a farmer, his mom has a chronic illness that requires constant medication—she can’t afford the $2,000-a-month imported drugs, so she gets by on cheap generics from India. Then there’s his younger sister, who dropped out of vocational school and spends her days glued to video games at home. As for me, I come from a wealthy family. My dad is a CEO, and my mom is a high-powered lawyer. I’ve been privileged since the day I was born. When I first met Quinn, I thought he was just handsome. We exchanged numbers, and that was that. But then he started pursuing me relentlessly. Three months later, we were married. Before the wedding, my mom was completely against it. She kept saying we were from two different worlds. But I had my reasons. Out of all the men I had ever met, Quinn had the lowest cheating rate and the best looks. A catch like that? I wasn’t about to let him slip away. In the end, my persistence won, and my mom reluctantly gave her blessing.

After the wedding, Quinn turned out to be the perfect husband. He handed over his paycheck without question, took care of all the housework when he had time, comforted me when I was upset, and celebrated with me when I was happy. He was polite and respectful to my parents, never holding a grudge against my mom for opposing him initially. In fact, he was so genuine that she eventually warmed up to him and treated him like family. My mom even used her connections to get him a cushy job in a government office, setting him up for a bright future. She found his sister a low-stress job as a library assistant, despite her lack of qualifications. And thanks to my mom’s doctor friends, my mother-in-law now had access to the expensive medications she needed—for free. Her health began to improve day by day. So… was this why Quinn started seeking “excitement”? When men’s lives become too comfortable, do they start looking for a thrill? In just one short week, Quinn’s cheating rate soared past 90%. Based on my experience, it meant he was seriously considering cheating. All he needed now… was the right opportunity.

The next day, Friday, Quinn came home from work looking restless. He was trying hard to act normal, but I could tell something was eating at him—especially since the cheating rate above his head had climbed to 95%. Wow. That’s like dry wood waiting for a spark to set it ablaze. Even when I asked him what we should order for dinner, his responses were vague and distracted. During dinner, I decided to tell him a little story. “Hey, honey, something wild happened back in Abby’s hometown. It even made the news.” “Oh? What happened?” he asked absentmindedly, biting into a chicken wing. “Abby’s neighbor caught her husband cheating. She literally walked in on him and the other woman, you know, in bed. Guess what she did?” I made a scissor motion with my fingers. Quinn froze mid-bite. The number above his head dropped instantly to 60%. “She got so mad, she chopped off his… you know. Blood everywhere—soaked the whole bed! Then she flushed it down the toilet.” 30%. I smiled sweetly at him. “Oh, and when the man called the cops, guess what the police did?” Quinn rubbed his nose awkwardly, avoiding my eyes. “Uh… what?” “They detained her for ten days and fined her 200.Canyoubelievethat?Aman’s…uh,∗pride∗isonlyworth200. Can you believe that? A man’s… uh, *pride* is only worth 200.Canyoubelievethat?Aman’s…uh,∗pride∗isonlyworth200!” 10%. He looked genuinely shaken. He forced a laugh and mumbled, “Well, uh… I guess she has a bit of a temper. If she couldn’t stand him anymore, she should’ve just divorced him instead of, uh, using a knife.” I shook my head and replied, “Honestly, I think she was being pretty polite. When I visited Abby once, we played cards together, and she told me, ‘In my world, there’s no such thing as divorce. Only widows.’” Quinn’s hand trembled slightly. “Uh, what did you say to that?” I smiled wider and leaned in. “I told her, ‘Same here.’” I stared straight into Quinn’s eyes, and for a moment, he looked away. But then he quickly recovered and grabbed my hand, putting on his best devoted husband act. “Baby, you don’t have to worry. I’ll only ever love you in this lifetime.” 3%. Quinn barely touched his food after that. He shoveled down a few bites before hurrying off to take a shower. The reason I told him that story was twofold: to warn him and to give him one last chance. If he understood where I stood on cheating and still chose to chase after a cheap thrill, well… then he’d only have himself to blame.

Quinn’s showers usually take about 10 minutes. That night, it stretched to almost an hour. And considering our water heater only provides hot water for 30 minutes, that was… interesting. I rummaged through the house briefly and, sure enough, his phone was missing. He had taken it into the bathroom with him. I pressed my ear to the door. Amid the sound of running water, I could faintly hear his voice. He was speaking softly, stopping and starting, as though trying to comfort someone. When he finally came out, towel-drying his hair, he put on an exaggerated grin and said, “Man, that shower was so refreshing!” But what caught my eye was the number above his head—it had jumped back up to 80%. Not long after, his phone rang. After taking the call on the balcony, he came back inside with a heavy sigh. “Babe, my company just called. They need me to deliver some documents tonight, so I won’t be able to come home.” “Why would delivering documents take all night?” I asked, keeping my tone casual. “The boss is at a conference in the next city over. There’s an important presentation tomorrow, and they need these files first thing in the morning. If you’re not comfortable with it, I can ask someone else to go instead.” I stared at him, barely able to suppress my laughter. Wow. An Oscar-worthy performance. When I didn’t respond right away, his face fell, and he added, “If you don’t want me to go, I won’t. I’d rather stay with you.” The number above his head dropped to 50%. “If it’s for work, you should go,” I said lightly. “Just come back as soon as you can.” He tried to hide his excitement, but I could see it in his eyes. He mumbled an apology, kissed me a few times, and left reluctantly, closing the door behind him. I watched him walk away. The number above his head had climbed back to 100%. So he didn’t take my story seriously at all. Fine. If that’s the case, he can’t blame me for what comes next.

The next day, Quinn didn’t come home until almost afternoon, looking disheveled and tired. To “make it up to me,” he even brought back a famous crispy duck from the neighboring city. The dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion and sleepiness, but there was also a faint trace of satisfaction in his expression. Of course he was tired—how could he not be? Because now, the percentage above his head wasn’t there anymore. It had been replaced by 7. Oh, wow. Seven times in one night? Truly impressive. He eagerly peeled fruit for me, rambling on about how his boss praised him the night before and promising that, once he gets a raise, he’ll buy me the latest Louis Vuitton bag. Listening to his empty promises, I only felt disgusted. I had been so careful in choosing Quinn, thinking I’d found someone with the lowest cheating rate. But in the end, he still cheated. I knew one thing for certain—once a man gets a taste of infidelity, it becomes addictive. The first time would lead to a second, and then countless more. This man? He had to go.

I started thinking back to when Quinn’s cheating rate first began to change. Wait a second—wasn’t it the day he went to his high school reunion? At the time, he came back acting perfectly normal, so I hadn’t thought much of it. But now that I think about it, reunions are the breeding ground for rekindling old flames and starting affairs. A few drinks, and people start acting like dogs in heat, forgetting their families and their morals. Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the number above Quinn’s head climbed to 15. I hired a private investigator to dig into the details. Just as I finished setting that up, the doorbell rang. Looking through the peephole, I saw Quinn’s parents and his younger sister, standing on my doorstep. Great. These three had bent over backward to impress me before the wedding, treating me like royalty. But after the marriage, their true colors came out, revealing their greed. First, when my mother-in-law’s health improved, she wanted to rebuild their old house in the countryside. She “borrowed” a huge sum of money from me—calling it a loan, but conveniently forgetting to mention any repayment. Then, Quinn’s sister, Wendy, asked me to introduce her to a wealthy guy. To be fair, Wendy is decently attractive. If she had behaved herself, she might’ve actually landed someone rich. I introduced her to a family friend, a second-generation millionaire. But on their first date, she demanded that he buy her a designer bag and necklace, even hinting that they could get a hotel room that night. No rich guy is stupid enough to marry someone like that. When I found out, I was furious. She wasn’t just embarrassing herself—she was embarrassing me. But when I confronted her, my mother-in-law defended her, saying, “Men act all pure, but they’re only thinking about what’s in their pants. He wasn’t losing anything, so why be so uptight?” It was then that I fully understood how disgusting and shameless this family could be. And now, here they were, once again. I could only imagine what they wanted this time.

“Sweetie, Quinn is the only son in three generations of our family. I went to a spiritual healer and got this special holy water for you to drink—guaranteed to help you have a baby boy!” My mother-in-law barely sat down before pulling out a plastic bottle filled with some murky black liquid and shoving it into my hands. I rolled my eyes internally. From the day we got married, she had been nagging me about having kids. Even after I clearly told her that I was focused on my career and wouldn’t consider children until after 30, she just wouldn’t stop. I glanced toward the bedroom, where Wendy was casually trying on my lipstick at my vanity without even saying hello. In the corner of the couch, Quinn’s dad sat puffing on his pipe, absentmindedly letting ash fall all over the carpet. The whole family showing up at once? This was clearly about something big. Suppressing my annoyance, I forced myself to stay calm and asked, “What’s going on?” My mother-in-law hesitated for a moment before glancing at Wendy. “Well,” she began, “Wendy’s been dating this guy. He works in finance, and they’ve been together for a while now. Recently, he told her about a great investment opportunity. It’s guaranteed to make big money! And, well… since it’s such a great opportunity, we thought—why not let everyone in the family make some money together?” The moment I heard “finance guy,” “investment opportunity,” and “big money,” I knew exactly what was going on. Wendy had clearly fallen for some kind of pyramid scheme or scam. My mother-in-law kept rambling, hinting that they didn’t have enough money for the investment and wanted me to pitch in $30,000 to help them “make it big.”

��Wait a second, Wendy. Do you actually know this finance guy? Have you even met him in person?” Wendy sauntered over and replied, “Of course I know him! We’ve been dating for a whole month now. We haven’t met in person yet, but we’ve video-chatted plenty of times.” “He’s in Southeast Asia right now, but he said he’d buy me a plane ticket for next month so we can finally meet.” I frowned. “You haven’t even met him, and yet you’re willing to give him money? Have you ever considered the possibility that he might be scamming you?” Wendy got defensive immediately. “Sure, we haven’t met in person, but the villa and yacht he showed me can’t possibly be fake! I even saw his property deed. And anyway, I already invested 5,000afewdaysago,andit’salreadygrownto5,000 a few days ago, and it’s already grown to 5,000afewdaysago,andit’salreadygrownto8,000.” “This is such a great opportunity, I wouldn’t even tell most people about it!” I crossed my arms and said flatly, “This is textbook financial fraud. My advice? Call the police before you lose everything.” Hearing the word “fraud” made Wendy blow up. Her face turned bright red as she shouted, “If you don’t want to lend me the money, just say so! Why are you spreading lies about my boyfriend and calling him a scammer? You owe him an apology!” I gave her an exasperated look. There was no reasoning with someone this clueless. I turned to leave, but Wendy grabbed my arm, yanking me so hard I nearly stumbled. “You’re not going anywhere! Apologize to him right now!” “You just don’t want our family to do well, do you? You want us to always live beneath you!” “And don’t even get me started on that ‘rich guy’ you introduced me to. What a cheapskate! He wouldn’t even buy me a bag! Please, as if I’d want someone like him. I’m the one who’s out of his league!” My mother-in-law came over, pretending to mediate. “Oh, Wendy, calm down. Your sister-in-law didn’t mean it like that.” But then she turned to me and said with a sneer, “Still, she’s got a point. At least the hens in our backyard know how to lay eggs. You’ve been married to Quinn for three years and haven’t given us a single child. Are you even as useful as a chicken?” Quinn’s father banged his pipe against the coffee table twice, sending ash flying everywhere. At this, Wendy finally stopped shouting, but she continued glaring at me with an angry pout. Quinn’s father cleared his throat and said, “If we’re not welcome here, we’ll leave. But don’t go slandering my son-in-law, calling him a scammer. Wendy’s right about one thing—on a farm, a chicken that doesn’t lay eggs doesn’t last a year. It’s been three years, Celia. You owe the Quinn family an explanation. Are you having kids or not? Give us a straight answer.” My mother-in-law chimed in, “Exactly! Three years! Don’t tell me it’s because you’re the one with the problem?”

I almost laughed out loud. You know those videos of scam victims yelling at anti-fraud officers, accusing them of ruining their chances to “get rich”? I used to think, How can people be so clueless? But today? I got to witness it in person. I had half a mind to warn them again, but their attitudes changed my mind. Why bother? In fact, I decided to play along and set them up instead. I put on a thoughtful expression and said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted your boyfriend. If this opportunity is as good as you say, then it must be legitimate. You should definitely invest more before it’s too late.” Wendy’s lips curled into a smug smile. “But,” I continued, “we really don’t have the money right now. If you’re short on cash, why not consider taking out a loan? If the project is guaranteed to double your money, the interest on a loan is nothing to worry about.” “Actually, if it’s a sure thing, why not borrow as much as you can? The more you invest, the more you’ll make!” “I know a great loan app you can use. You could borrow, say, 100,000.Whenitdoubles,you’llhave100,000. When it doubles, you’ll have 100,000.Whenitdoubles,you’llhave200,000 in no time!” Her smug grin faltered when I mentioned the loan. But when I brought up the idea of borrowing $100,000, I saw a flicker of excitement in her eyes. “Oh, and about having kids,” I added, “we were actually planning to start trying this year. We wanted to surprise you, but I guess you beat us to it by bringing it up first.” Hearing this, my mother-in-law clapped her hands in delight, her face lighting up with joy. After I finally sent this ridiculous family on their way, a cold smile crept across my face. I couldn’t wait to see the day they were drowning in debt, desperately running from loan collectors.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295906”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #校园School #重生Reborn #励志Inspiring #魔幻Magic #惊悚Thriller #玄幻Fantsy #擦边Steamy

I spent 20 years searching for my twin sister, only to find her dead. My investigation revealed that she was killed by a pair of despicable people: her husband, Ryan Lindell, and his ex-wife, Lauren. At my sister’s funeral, Ryan wailed in fake grief, crying out, “Oh, my love, how am I supposed to live without you? God, please bring her back to me!” I walked into the room, and the moment his eyes met mine, he froze, collapsing to the floor in terror. “Ryan, I’m back. I didn’t die,” I said, pretending to be my sister. I was going to drag this scum and his accomplice straight to hell. In the car, Ryan cautiously asked me how I survived. The road outside was deserted, winding through a remote mountain pass. I told him I blacked out and couldn’t remember much. The last thing I recalled was waking up on a beach, being helped by the police, and eventually finding my way to the funeral home. “Do you remember falling off the cliff while watching the sunset? That’s how you… disappeared,” he asked nervously. He was lying. I knew he had pushed my sister off that cliff himself. The fire of hatred burned inside me, my fists clenched so tightly my nails dug into my palms. It took every ounce of self-control to suppress the urge to kill him right then and there. “I… don’t remember,” I replied calmly. He let out a relieved sigh but quickly grew wary. “We should probably head to the hospital to get you checked out.” At the hospital, the scans revealed a wound on the back of my head. The doctor explained that I might have hit my head on a rock when I fell into the ocean, which could explain my memory loss. After some tests, the doctor diagnosed me with retrograde amnesia—gaps in my memory, caused by trauma. “Will my wife ever regain her lost memories?” Ryan asked, feigning concern. “It’s possible,” the doctor replied. “Familiar surroundings and people might help trigger her memory.” Ryan’s expression darkened at the news. He finally believed I had amnesia. But the truth was, I had inflicted that head wound on myself before coming here. I already knew everything about my sister’s life. My twin, Michelle, had been married to Ryan for eight years. Ryan had a daughter, Mia, from his first marriage. After Michelle’s adoptive father passed away, he left her a massive inheritance, including the mansion Ryan and Mia now lived in. When I arrived at the house, Mia was lounging on the couch, playing a game on her phone. She looked up and exclaimed, “Michelle! Why aren’t you dead?” “Why? Are you disappointed?” I shot back. “Ugh, who wants you dead? Since you’re alive, go make dinner. I’m starving,” she said, not even looking up from her game. Ryan stretched and yawned. “Michelle, I’m exhausted. I’m going to take a nap. Call me when dinner’s ready.” He started heading upstairs. “Why should I cook?” I asked, annoyed. “Because you always do,” Mia replied matter-of-factly. “Really? I don’t remember that.” Mia stared at me, stunned. Ryan quickly explained, “Mia, your stepmom hit her head when she fell into the ocean. She’s lost some of her memories.” Then he turned to me and said, “Michelle, just make dinner, okay? I’m starving too.” I glared at him. “Are you and your daughter missing your arms? Can’t you cook for yourselves?” Both father and daughter stared at me in shock. I wanted to rip them apart right then and there. My sister had been kind and gentle, enduring their abuse for eight years. She had acted like a servant, cooking and cleaning for them, and even funded their lavish lifestyle with her inheritance. “Michelle, are you insane? How dare you talk to us like that!” Ryan barked, his face dark with anger. “Michelle, before I lose my temper, go make dinner!” Mia demanded, her tone entitled. I sneered. “Dogs stay in the house for so long they start thinking they own it.” “What the hell does that mean?” Mia snapped. “Who owns this house?” I asked. “You… you do.” “And whose money pays for everything you eat, wear, and use?” “Yours…” “That’s right. Everything you have comes from me. You’re nothing but parasites, yet you have the audacity to demand I cook for you?” “Once you marry my dad, everything you own becomes ours!” Mia yelled shamelessly. I laughed coldly. “Then let’s get a divorce.” Michelle’s inheritance was legally protected as premarital assets. If I filed for divorce, Ryan would walk away with nothing. Ryan panicked, quickly scolding Mia. “Mia, watch your mouth! Apologize to your stepmom right now!” Reluctantly, Mia mumbled, “Michelle, I’m still young and don’t always think before I speak. Don’t take it to heart.” “You’re 20, Mia. You’re in college. That’s not ‘young,’” I replied, unimpressed. “Michelle, I’m sorry. I was wrong,” she said through gritted teeth. “Good. But actions have consequences. From now on, you’re no longer allowed to use my credit card.” Earlier, on the way here, Ryan had handed me Michelle’s phone. Since we were twins, facial recognition unlocked it easily. I’d seen countless notifications from the bank about Mia using Michelle’s card to buy game items and skins. Hearing this, Mia panicked. “Michelle, think about it! I’m like your daughter! You’ve always spoiled me!” “You’re my daughter?” I asked mockingly. “Then why do you call me Michelle instead of Mom? That’s a bit contradictory, don’t you think?” “I’ve always thought of you as my real mom!” she insisted. “Really? Then why didn’t you attend my funeral? Instead, you stayed home playing games. Clearly, your games are more important than I am. Why would I spoil someone like you? Don’t try to fool me—I may have memory loss, but I’m not stupid.” Mia was speechless. Ryan jumped in. “Mia, I told you to come to the funeral! You’ve been playing games too much. From now on, no more games!” “Mom, I swear I wanted to go to the funeral! I just… lost track of time. If you’re upset, you can hit me to vent your anger,” Mia said, putting on a pitiful act. Slap! Slap! I didn’t hesitate, delivering two sharp slaps that echoed through the room. Both Ryan and Mia were stunned. Mia’s cheek swelled instantly. “You… you hit me?” she stammered. “Didn’t you just ask me to?” I replied, feigning confusion. Speechless, she stormed upstairs in tears. I turned to Ryan. “Well? What are you waiting for? I’m hungry. Go make dinner.” Ryan didn’t dare argue. He obediently went to the kitchen. At Night I lied, saying I needed to be alone to “recover my memory,” and went to sleep in the guest room. On the way back from the hospital earlier, Ryan had handed me Michelle’s phone. Being twins, I could unlock it easily using facial recognition. As I opened her photo album and scrolled through the pictures and videos, tears streamed down my face. “Michelle, I’m so sorry. I came too late!” Michelle’s real name was Evelyn Lowe, and mine was Emma Lowe. When we were 11, our parents smuggled us from a small country. One night, as they were returning home from work, they were killed during a robbery. Not long after, the landlord threw us out of the apartment. For months, Michelle and I lived in a damp, dark alley, building a makeshift shelter out of cardboard. We survived by begging on the streets. That winter, when I was 12, Michelle got a high fever and fell unconscious. I ran to Sunset Boulevard, desperate to find a doctor. But by the time I returned with help, Michelle was gone. I spent 20 years searching for her. A week ago, I finally learned what had happened: a kind-hearted Chinese man had found my dying sister in the alley that day and saved her. The fever had taken Michelle’s memory. She forgot everything—including me. The man who saved her brought her back to East Asia and adopted her, treating her like his own daughter. When he passed away, he left all his wealth to Michelle. As for me, I ended up being taken in by the leader of a Sunset Boulevard gang. Three years ago, after his death, I inherited his position as the head of the organization. Our gang operates internationally, with branches in several countries—including the one Michelle had lived in. It was through these connections that I finally found her. I boarded a plane to reunite with my sister, filled with joy. But the moment I landed, my men greeted me at the airport with grim faces and told me the devastating news: Michelle was dead. That moment shattered me. It felt like my body was being torn apart by a thousand knives. 4 Three Days Later It was Saturday, and Ryan’s ex-wife, Lauren Smith, came over to “clean the house.” My poor, naive sister had never known that this housekeeper was Ryan’s ex-wife. The moment Lauren saw me, her eyes burned with anger. Clearly, Ryan had told her about the slap I’d given her daughter. She wasn’t there to clean; it was all for show. After half-heartedly wiping a few surfaces, she sat on the couch, opened a bag of snacks, and turned on the TV, looking completely at ease. To anyone who didn’t know better, she would’ve seemed like the mistress of the house. “This is your idea of cleaning?” I asked coldly. “Of course. That’s how I’ve always done it. Ask Mia if you don’t believe me,” Lauren replied, completely unfazed. “Mom, Lauren’s been with us for three years. She’s practically family,” Mia chimed in. “I hired a housekeeper, not a family member. You can pack your things and leave,” I said bluntly. “You don’t have the authority to fire me. Ryan hired me,” Lauren shot back. “But I’m the one paying your salary. Unless you’re willing to work for free, I suggest you leave.” “You… you can’t do this! This is worker exploitation! I’ll expose you online!” she shouted, panicking. “Go ahead,” I said calmly. Lauren was stunned. She had always treated my soft-hearted sister this way, but now she didn’t know how to handle me. “Mom, calm down. Lauren, go clean my room,” Mia said quickly, trying to defuse the situation. With a sour expression, Lauren stomped upstairs. Ryan finished cooking and called us to the table. Lauren joined us without hesitation, as if she belonged there. “It’s ridiculous, making the husband cook while the wife sits around,” she muttered under her breath. “Then why don’t you take over cooking from now on?” I said sharply. “I don’t know how to cook,” she retorted. “Ryan, why did you hire such an incompetent housekeeper? She can’t clean, and she can’t cook. Or is there something else going on between you two?” I asked, my voice dripping with suspicion. Ryan’s face turned crimson, and he stammered, unable to form a coherent response. “Mom, it’s not like that!” Mia jumped in to defend him. “Lauren and I just got along when she came to apply for the job, so I told Dad to hire her.” “Oh, I see,” I said with a sly smile. Then, I changed the subject. “Mia, what would you do if a thief broke into our house?” “Easy. I’d catch them, beat them up, and call the police,” Mia replied without hesitation. “Good. Because there’s a thief sitting right here. Go ahead and deal with her,” I said darkly. Mia blinked, confused. “What do you mean, Mom?” “I mean Lauren is a thief. She’s been stealing my bags and jewelry,” I said, my gaze locking onto Lauren’s now-terrified face. I had ordered my men to follow Lauren and Ryan from the moment I arrived in this city. Yesterday, Lauren had taken several designer bags and pieces of expensive jewelry to a secondhand shop and sold them for over $80,000. Michelle’s adoptive father had owned shares in a luxury goods company, and after his death, Michelle inherited 20% of the company. Every year, they sent her designer items as gifts, including bags and jewelry. Last night, I requested a detailed list of all the items Michelle had received over the years. After comparing it to what Lauren had sold, I confirmed that everything she pawned had belonged to my sister.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295922”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #重生Reborn #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring

My Husband Won $30 Million in the Lottery and Immediately Moved in with His Mistress The man who had been living off my income suddenly wanted me to leave with nothing but the clothes on my back. When I refused, he started smearing my reputation online. His actions caused my father to have a heart attack, and he just stood by and watched him die. Then, I was tortured to death by thugs he hired. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day he bought the lottery ticket. I looked at Lucas, who was about to leave, and smiled, “Honey, I’ll go with you.” He looked at me suspiciously, “What for?” Hearing his words, I narrowed my eyes. In my previous life, on this day, he went out and bought a lottery ticket, unexpectedly winning $30 million. That same day, he brought his mistress home and asked for a divorce. The man who usually acted meek and played the role of a stay-at-home husband at home became unbridled once he had money. He hired the best lawyers at a high price, trying to make me leave with nothing. He even posted my phone number and address online. Some radical netizens found my home, terrorizing me by smashing windows and banging on doors at night. They even placed funeral wreaths at my door. I was too scared to leave the house. When my father went to confront him, he saw Lucas being intimate with his mistress. Already suffering from heart disease, the shock was too much, and he collapsed on the spot. Lucas watched my father take his last breath without lifting a finger to help. I didn’t even get to see my father one last time. When I was on the brink of a mental breakdown, Lucas brought five thugs to invade my home. “If only you had agreed to the divorce from the start,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had to go this far.” “Fiona is pregnant, and I can’t let our child be born out of wedlock.” With that, he turned and left the room. After my death, he and his mistress lived in my house, spent my money, had a son, and lived happily ever after. They never worked a day in their lives, living off my fortune. Meanwhile, they claimed I had committed suicide, and that was the end of it. Heaven gave me a chance to relive my life. This time, I’ll make them pay for what they’ve done! I placed my hand on Lucas’s arm and looked up at him. “I promised my fans I’d buy some lottery tickets as giveaway prizes,” I said. “They all say I’m lucky to have such a good husband, and they want to borrow some of my luck.” “I just asked Fiona to bring the car over. The three of us can go together.” Being so close, I clearly felt his body stiffen. I knew that today was his anniversary with Fiona, and they had planned to spend it together. He hadn’t expected me to tag along. Pretending not to notice, I continued, “You don’t smoke, don’t drink, and you’re faithful.” “I must be the luckiest woman alive.” In reality, I thought, I must have the worst luck in the world to meet someone like you, who not only destroys my family but also steals my property. “Well, you’d better keep me close then, so other women don’t get any ideas,” he said, gently holding my hand. I felt a wave of disgust and casually shook off his hand. How was I so blind to fall for him in my previous life? Not only was he a freeloader, but he actually thought he was such a catch that everyone wanted him. Just as we reached the ground floor, Fiona pulled up in her car. “Rose, Lucas, hop in!” she called out.

Fiona was wearing an apricot-colored dress today, making her look stunningly beautiful. It seemed Fiona had put a lot of effort into their anniversary celebration. In my previous life, it took me a long time to find out. Lucas and Fiona had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. She was lively, cheerful, and gentle as water, always ready with a compliment, which greatly satisfied Lucas’s vanity. At home with me, he played the role of a dependent husband, but with Fiona, he was a hardworking man fighting his way in the world. When I was busy with work and needed to hire an assistant, he even recommended his “cousin” Fiona. When I was around, they were “cousins.” When I wasn’t… Lucas never dared to mention divorce to me. Because I had money, and he had no job, no source of income, he had to swallow his pride and please me for the sake of money. The look in Lucas’s eyes as he gazed at Fiona was full of infatuation, so obvious! How blind I was in my previous life! I pretended to be jealous, “Honey, you’re looking at Fiona like she’s a piece of candy.” “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you two were a couple.” My words caused a flash of panic in their eyes. Fiona waved her hands frantically, “Rose, don’t joke like that. Lucas is my cousin.” “Is that so?” I said. My gaze moved between the two of them, my tone flat as I got into the car. My question left them both squirming uncomfortably. The car ride was extremely quiet. Lucas kept glancing at me, his lips moving. But in the end, he said nothing. “Fiona, how long have you been working as my assistant?” I suddenly asked, breaking the silence in the car. I clearly saw both Fiona and Lucas stiffen, unsure if they were startled by my sudden question or if it was their guilty conscience. “Th-three years,” Fiona stuttered. Fiona had been my assistant for three years, and Lucas’s mistress for three years. And I had been kept in the dark for three whole years! I didn’t say anything, but Lucas couldn’t sit still. He spoke urgently, “Why are you asking about this? Fiona works hard and has taken good care of both of us.” Seeing how desperately he was trying to defend Fiona, I found it amusing. I remembered how Lucas had brought Fiona to me in my previous life. “Honey, Fiona is my cousin. Her parents passed away, so I need to take care of her.” “Sister-in-law, Lucas is my only family now. I’ll work hard for you, I promise.” The way they called each other ‘cousin’ sounded so sincere back then. As the car stopped, I turned my head and stared intently into Lucas’s eyes. A flash of panic crossed his eyes before it was quickly replaced by a smile. I smiled and said, “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that since Fiona has been with us for three years, it might be time for a raise.” “I didn’t expect you two to react so strongly.” I pushed open the car door and got out before either of them, heading straight for the lottery store. “Boss, give me all the tickets with the number 7 in them. I’ll take them all,” I said. The shop owner looked confused. “That’s quite a lot. Are you sure you want them all?” I nodded firmly. Lucas, who had followed closely behind, heard this and came over to pat my shoulder. I shifted away, feeling disgusted. “I was thinking of buying one with a 7 today too. Can I have one, honey?” he asked. “No,” I replied without hesitation. There was no way I was going to give him a chance to win $30 million again. My whole family’s lives depended on it. The smile on Lucas’s face froze. Fiona stepped in to smooth things over, pulling out five dollars. “Lucas, I think tickets with 8 are good too. Eight sounds like ‘prosper’, right?” “Sounds good,” he replied. The two exchanged a sweet glance, making me feel sick. “Lucas, how about it? Did you win?” Fiona asked. Lucas held his head and sighed softly, shaking his head. In my previous life, when they went out to celebrate their anniversary, Fiona suggested buying a lottery ticket for fun. Unexpectedly, they won $30 million. Lucas immediately saw Fiona as his lucky charm and proudly brought her to me to show off. Now, the $30 million lottery ticket is in my hands. Whatever happens next is up to me. The next day, I went to claim the prize with the ticket. After taxes, there was still $24 million left. I transferred all of it to my father’s bank account. Just in case. I was afraid Lucas might check my account balance when I wasn’t paying attention. In my previous life, I had earned quite a bit from my social media work, so I used to give Lucas $50,000 every month. It was meant to cover his expenses for staying at home and taking care of me instead of working. Ever since we started dating and even after we got married, Lucas had never had a job. He would say things like, “Honey, my colleagues always isolate me. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.” “Honey, you work outside, I’ll be your supportive partner at home.” “I love cooking and doing laundry for you. It makes me so happy.” Back then, I was so blinded by his sweet talk that I kept supporting him. And he had the nerve to use my money to keep a mistress! Every time I think about this, I shake with anger. When I got home, I saw Lucas and Fiona sitting at opposite ends of the sofa. Fiona’s hair was slightly messy, and her lipstick was smudged. Both of their clothes were wrinkled. I could only imagine how intense things had been between them before I arrived. I wondered if they had gone all the way. I hope Lucas didn’t get too scared. “R-Rose, weren’t you supposed to be shooting a commercial?” Fiona stammered. “Yeah, honey, why are you back so soon? Why didn’t you tell me to pick you up?” Lucas added. Looking at the panic on their faces, I found it quite amusing. “Oh, they suddenly canceled the shoot,” I said. I took a couple of steps, then suddenly turned back, “What were you two doing just now? You both seem out of breath.” The two on the sofa froze. After a long moment, Lucas finally spoke. “We were just doing some exercises, that’s why we’re so tired.” I nodded as if suddenly understanding, then went into the bedroom. I opened my phone and registered a new TikTok account, posting: “Can you believe it? I won a $30 million lottery ticket in a giveaway!” I tagged myself in the post. I invested a lot of money to promote this post, just to make sure Lucas would see it. As expected, the post went viral. During lunch, Lucas’s expression was very gloomy. “You saw that post about your fan winning $30 million in the giveaway, right?” I nodded slightly, lowering my head to sip my soup. My indifferent attitude successfully angered him. He slammed his rice bowl on the ground, shattering it. Furious, he shouted, “That lottery ticket, I saw it! It was the one I asked you for!” “If you had given it to me then, I would have won the $30 million!” “That money should have been mine!” Looking at his angry face, I found it laughable. “I bought it first, why should I have given it to you?” “We’re… we’re married!” he sputtered. Now he remembers we’re married. Where was this thought when he caused my father’s death and ruined my life? “I don’t care. The winner should have been me. Go and get that ticket back,” he demanded, seeming to have lost his mind, shouting wildly. I ignored him and went back to the bedroom. Lucas made a phone call in the living room. No need to guess, it must be Fiona on the other end. After feeling wronged by me, he was running back to his comfort zone. I wanted to push him to the edge. After all, even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. No wonder he’s so anxious, because at this moment, Fiona had found out she was pregnant. In my previous life, it was also around this time, but I found out a bit later. Lucas now desperately wants to divorce me. If we don’t divorce, his child with Fiona will be born out of wedlock, and they’ll always face the risk of me finding out and kicking them out. But right now, he has no job and no money. His only source of income is what I give him. That’s why he was so angry when he saw the fan win $30 million. In his eyes, that lottery ticket should have belonged to him. He had asked me for it first, but I didn’t give it to him. It wasn’t just $30 million, it was his leverage to ask me for a divorce. While Lucas was out, I installed hidden cameras in inconspicuous corners of the house. I picked up my phone and made a call, “That show, I want to participate.” I slept the entire afternoon in my room. When I woke up, I found that Lucas had returned, and Fiona was here too. The bowl he had smashed at noon had been cleaned up, and now they were in the kitchen making dinner. Seeing me come out, Fiona hurried over and took my hand, “Rose, Lucas didn’t mean it this afternoon. He told me he was just too angry.” “Please don’t hold it against him.” I pulled my hand away and sat down at the dining table, resting my chin on my hand. I smiled, “I’m not holding it against him. Winning or losing is all about luck.” “I guess Lucas just wasn’t lucky.” He really wasn’t lucky. Who told him I would be reborn to the day he bought the lottery ticket? Thinking about this, I struggled to suppress the urge to smirk. Lucas’s cooking skills were indeed very good. If he had always been honest, I wouldn’t have minded giving him more money to spend each month. Unfortunately, he wasn’t honest and insisted on keeping a mistress. “Honey, can you lend me a million dollars? I want to invest in stocks,” Lucas asked. I replied, “Didn’t you already lose half a million in stocks last month?” “I’ll let that half million slide, but don’t even think about this million.” Lucas: “But…” Fiona’s sudden retching interrupted Lucas’s words. I put down my chopsticks, pretending to be surprised, “Fiona, are you… pregnant?” “No, no, I just have a bit of an upset stomach lately. I’ll be fine after a few days of rest.” As Fiona finished speaking, a glass of water appeared in front of her. When she started retching, Lucas had already gotten up to fetch water from the kitchen. What a considerate and caring man, indeed. “Fiona, since you’re not feeling well, I’ll go to tomorrow’s event alone. You stay at our place and let Lucas take care of you.” “Rose, will you be okay by yourself?” Fiona asked. I nodded. “Lucas, take good care of Fiona while I’m away on this business trip for two days.” Take very good care indeed, because after today, both of you will be disgraced. The next day, they saw me off at the airport. As soon as they got home, they fell into each other’s arms, kissing passionately.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295827”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #励志Inspiring #重生Reborn

Her body was wheeled out, covered with a white sheet. He stood far away, smoking by the window, wearing a black fisherman’s hat. From start to finish, he never went over to look. As if the person under the white sheet had no connection to him. People around whispered, staring at the direction the body transport vehicle left. “What a tragic death. I heard she was tortured to death?” “Seems to be related to her boyfriend.” “What a sin! Getting involved with that kind of man, imagine how heartbroken her parents must be.” October 1, 2018. I broke up with my boyfriend of three years. He still doesn’t know that I’ve found out about his cheating, and keeps begging me to come back. Too bad I don’t have time for his performance. The next day, I quit my job, spent most of my savings on a used Jeep Wrangler, and set off alone on a road trip to Colorado. The highway was jammed, so I exited and followed the GPS onto winding mountain roads. However, the mountain road was backed up for miles, and my phone lost signal. Worse than the traffic was the need to pee. Guys could at least use an empty bottle, but what could I do? The line of cars inched forward. Finally seeing a farmhouse, I hurriedly got out to borrow their bathroom. But they charged for using the toilet. I had no cash, my phone had no signal, and the farmhouse had no WiFi. At that moment, I realized how a single dollar could defeat even a hero. A man wearing a black fisherman’s hat next to me noticed my predicament. With a wave of his hand, he generously paid five dollars, solving my dilemma. “Thank you.” The man didn’t speak, just waved his hand to say “you’re welcome,” then walked out of the farmhouse without looking back. The cars continued to crawl at a snail’s pace. Time passed, and darkness fell. The river of headlights winding down the mountain was quite a spectacular sight. About half an hour later, the speed gradually increased a bit. Not fast, maybe 15-20 mph, but it felt like flying compared to before. I saw that fisherman’s hat guy again. He was running. I honked and slowed down beside him, “Need a ride?” He flashed me a dazzling smile, “Yes.” In that instant, I was struck by his smile. Natural, pure, without a hint of impurity. Turns out it’s not just men who like purity, I like it too, haha. He got into my passenger seat. He said after using the bathroom, he thought he’d walk a bit to stretch his legs. Who knew the traffic suddenly cleared, and his family’s car passed without seeing him. He ran to catch up, but the car kept going faster and faster. Plus there was no signal here so he couldn’t call them. I smiled and said no problem, once we have signal you can contact them and I’ll drop you off wherever. He said thanks. “No need to thank me, I’m just repaying a favor.” “Ha! You’re really returning a drop of kindness with a gushing spring.” His voice was very pleasant. Not overly deep, but magnetic. Perfect for voicing the male lead in an audio drama. With no signal for GPS, we could only follow the road signs to a nearby small town. Once in town, he contacted his family. They had only just realized he was missing. Our two cars had taken different forks in the road and were now heading in opposite directions, about 60 miles apart. “I’ll catch a ride to meet up with them. Thanks for giving me a lift, otherwise I’d be wolf food in the mountains by now.” I shrugged, indicating it was no big deal. He tried calling several cabs by the roadside, but they all said it was too late and too far to go. Just as I was debating whether to offer to exchange contacts, the heavens intervened and it started to rain. He came back to my car, “Looks like I can’t leave tonight. Let me treat you to dinner, and I’ll meet up with them tomorrow.” “Sure.” I smiled, without a hint of hesitation. We found a bright restaurant and sat down. He pushed the menu over and asked what I wanted to eat. “I have choice paralysis, you order.” As he studied the menu intently, my inconsiderate ex-boyfriend tried video calling me. Looking at him seriously pondering the menu, an idea struck me. “Can you do me a favor?” “?” “My ex cheated but thinks I don’t know. He’s still pestering me. Can I say you’re my new boyfriend to get rid of him?” He smiled silently after hearing this, looking at me. I felt a bit unsure if he had seen through my ulterior motives. The video call automatically disconnected after ringing for a long time. He moved from across the table to sit beside me, draping his arm over the back of my chair. “Call him back.” He was very close. I could smell the pleasant lime scent on him. My heart started beating faster. The gloomy mood caused by my ex’s betrayal seemed to dissipate with his care. I took a deep breath and called the video back. This time, my ex answered immediately. When he saw me and the fisherman’s hat guy sitting close together in the video, the devoted love on his face instantly turned to furious anger. “Chloe Parker, I really underestimated you! Tell me, how long have you been cheating on me?” “Guess.” My ex pulled out a diamond ring, his eyes full of nauseating sincerity, “Chloe, I was about to propose to you, and this is how you treat me?!” Ha, as if he was completely innocent. “Well then, I should thank you for the favor of not marrying me.” “You…!” My ex was about to start cursing. The fisherman’s hat guy suddenly leaned close to the camera, squinting his eyes, “I think I know you.” “Of course you know me, you bastard! I’m your grandfather!” The fisherman’s hat guy took off his hat, “Look, recognize me?” !! His hair was so short! Even shorter than a buzz cut. Forgive my bluntness, but guys with this hairstyle are either in the military or just got out of prison… But they say a buzz cut is the ultimate test of a handsome guy, and he truly passed with flying colors! He was an incredibly good-looking guy! “Hayden Wilson?” “It’s me.” The corner of his mouth turned up slightly, with a hint of provocation. “After all these years as brothers, you steal my girlfriend?” “Heh… Since when were we brothers? Just letting you know, stop bothering my girlfriend from now on.” “Who wants her, you can have my sloppy seconds.” How dare he call me sloppy seconds! Just as I was about to roll up my sleeves and start cursing, Hayden’s large hand pressed on my head, “Don’t talk to trash.” Then he pointed at my ex-boyfriend in the video, “Your father failed in raising you. It pains me to see what a piece of work you turned out to be.” “Hayden Wilson, fuck your grandfather!” “If you don’t, I’ll look down on you.” I don’t know what the deal was with his grandfather, but my ex muttered “psycho” and hung up the video call. I gave him a salute, “Many thanks for coming to my rescue, hero.” My gesture made him burst out laughing. He called the waiter to bring me a bottle of strawberry milk. “Drink this milk and forget about that jerk.” I opened the strawberry milk, “Cheers, big brother!” He clinked his iced tea against my bottle. He asked where I was road tripping to. I said westward, to Colorado. His hand paused while picking up food, “But this is the road to Wyoming.” “…” I opened the map app. Good grief, I was now 120 miles further from Colorado than when I started this morning. He leaned in to look at the map too, “You started from Denver?” I nodded. “You have two options now. One is to backtrack here and get back on the highway to Colorado.” He pointed on the map. “Two is to just go with it and continue to Wyoming.” “Well, since I’ve come this far, maybe I’ll just go to Wyoming.” “But Wyoming has high altitude. For you alone, altitude sickness could be trouble.” “Then I guess I’ll go back to the highway.” “We’re retracing the Long March route – Yellowstone, Grand Teton… Are you interested in coming along with me?” Although he was very handsome, I have social anxiety. Suddenly joining a big family group… “That doesn’t seem appropriate.” “Afraid to meet my family?” While that’s not wrong, it sounds so awkward when he puts it that way. “N-no, not at all.” I stubbornly denied. “Then tell me your answer before we part ways tomorrow.” He used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish for me. This means he plans to stay with me tonight too? Hehe. “Okay.” Since we arrived in this small town unexpectedly, I hadn’t booked a hotel, and of course neither had he. We drove around, everywhere was fully booked. We finally found one place, but they only had one standard room left with two beds. “How about you take this room, and I’ll find an internet cafe to crash for the night?” he said. “It’s a standard room! Two beds! Are you afraid I have ulterior motives?” He smiled, dimples faintly appearing on his cheeks, “You stole my line.” The small hotel had no elevator. He carried my suitcase up for me. My suitcase was huge and super heavy, but he lifted it easily with one hand. “How are you so strong?” “This is nothing. I could carry you and sprint for 20 miles.” “What military unit are you in?” He raised an eyebrow at my question, “You catch on so quick, are you a spy?” I rolled my eyes at him and stopped talking. “Infantry.” He smiled. “That’s all I can say.” I couldn’t be bothered with him anymore. I took my things to the bathroom to wash up. At least he’s not fresh out of prison.

Early the next morning. His bed was empty, the sheets smoothed out as if no one had slept there. Had he already left? I was dazed for a while, feeling a bit groggy from just waking up but also disappointed. Oh well, was I really expecting a romantic encounter on my travels? I shook my head, trying to clear out the unnecessary thoughts. I took my things to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet, scrolling through my phone. The bathroom was near the entrance. When he came in carrying breakfast, I heard the sound and turned my head to stare at him blankly… My first thought wasn’t to scream, but… thank goodness I wasn’t pooping… By the time I reacted, my face had turned bright red. He calmly closed the door for me, “You really don’t see me as an outsider.” “…” I came out of the bathroom with a red face, “I thought you had left.” “Do I look like the type to love ’em and leave ’em?” “…” He handed me the breakfast he brought back, beef noodle soup. I slurped a mouthful – it was piping hot and flavorful. “How do you write the two characters in your name, Chloe Parker?” “The ‘Chlo’ in Chloe, and the ‘e’ in Parker.” “Oh, so Chloe as in the octopus, and Parker as in parking lot.” “Hey!” I punched his chest, but it only hurt my hand. “I’m Hayden Wilson. Hayden as in ‘hey’, and Wilson as in ‘will’.” “…Oh.” “You can call me Big Fish.” “…Then together we’d really be an octopus, wouldn’t we?” A muffled laugh came from his chest, “Are we shipping ourselves already?” “…” His family came to pick him up. Right downstairs at the hotel. We exchanged contacts. As I packed up to go down, his parents, uncle (referred to as “Big Uncle”), and little sister were standing next to a Grand Cherokee. I finally understood why my ex-boyfriend backed down so quickly when he heard about Hayden’s grandfather. Although he smiled at me, there was an aura of authority emanating from within that formed a barrier around him, making people instinctively fearful. “Your uncle is in the military too, right?” I asked him quietly. “Little octopus has sharp eyes.” “Another secret identity?” “Are you sure you’re not a spy?” I punched him again. He introduced me to his family, only saying my name was Chloe Parker and that I was also from Denver. His family nodded, not asking further questions. But his mom and sister looked at me with particularly eager eyes. He cut off their curiosity, pushing them back into the car, “I’ll ride with Chloe, you guys go ahead.” And just like that, I inexplicably joined their family trip. My Jeep Wrangler followed behind the Grand Cherokee, like a little duckling trailing after mama duck. Today he drove while I focused on taking photos of the scenery from the passenger seat. Sometimes when I took selfies, he’d be in the frame. I asked if I could post the photos on social media, but he said it’s best not to. So I heavily blurred him out. But the more I tried to hide it, the more it piqued my friends’ curiosity. They all commented saying I was hiding a secret boyfriend. That night, I roomed with his sister. “Big sis, I’m Jenny Wilson. You can call me by my nickname, JJ.” The siblings had names related to famous battles… “Does your family have someone named Leo too?” “Big sis, how do you know my uncle’s name?!” “…” The Long March, Huai-Hai Campaign, Liaoshen Campaign – every American knows about these famous WWII battles… “Big sis, how long have you been dating my brother?” “We just met yesterday.” “Ah… Well… Big sis, even though liking my brother is tough, please don’t give up!” “???” We arrived at Yellowstone. He said, “On May 29, 1935, the Red Army marched 80 miles day and night. The 2nd company commander and 22 brave soldiers crossed the burning hot iron chains under heavy gunfire to capture the bridge.” … When we reached Grand Teton, he said, “82 years ago, a troop in tattered clothes and terrible condition passed through this marsh and snow-covered grassland. This is where the Red Army suffered the most casualties during the Long March.” It was the army that emerged from here that fought the Japanese and established a new China with unwavering determination. This is the only grassland named after the Red Army. … At the Long March memorial in Jackson Hole, he said there are 609 steps from the bottom to the top, symbolizing the 609 battles the Red Army fought during the Long March. … His voice had a magical quality. I felt like I was suddenly transported back to that era of war, witnessing our ancestors charging towards gunfire with their flesh and blood during China’s most perilous time. A line from some TV drama echoed in my mind: “Who will remember my sacrifice? 400 million compatriots will remember!” My eyes unconsciously welled up with tears, my heart pounding in my chest. “If you keep talking like this, I’m going to develop suspension bridge syndrome for you,” I said. Note: Suspension bridge syndrome refers to mistaking increased heart rate from external stimuli as romantic feelings for someone nearby. He looked at me, a soft light in his obsidian eyes, laughing heartily. In that moment, I fell into the depths of his gaze. I hadn’t planned on falling in love again so quickly. But like my unplanned trip, he crashed into my world without rhyme or reason. When we returned to Jackson Hole, he got a phone call saying his leave was over and he had to report back immediately. He left that night. Before leaving, he seemed to have something to say but hesitated. I encouraged him with my eyes, but he just smiled and sighed, “I’ll tell you next time I’m on leave.” He took a few steps, then came back to me, “Don’t forget about me.”

I didn’t see him again until five months later. We had no contact during that time. By then, I had finished my aimless travels and found a new job as a magazine editor. He suddenly appeared outside my office building. He wore a plain black T-shirt, black pants, and a black fisherman’s hat, blending into the night. I almost didn’t notice him. He ran up to me, “Little octopus.” I stared at him blankly for several seconds. “Forgot me so quickly?” “Hayden Wilson.” “Present!” He quickly responded, then bent down to look up at me with a smile, “Any orders, commander?” He only had 48 hours of leave. His base wasn’t in Denver, so it took 8 hours just to come see me, plus another 8 hours to get back. We only had 32 hours together. Subtract 8 hours for work tomorrow and 8 hours for sleep, we were left with just 16 hours. As someone who usually takes things slow, I felt pressed for time for the first time. We walked along the river. At some point, he had taken my hand. There were calluses on the first knuckle of his index finger and the second knuckles of his middle, ring and pinky fingers. Hmm, the hand of someone who handles guns. “What’s little octopus pondering now?” “Wondering what exactly you do.” “If I say I can’t tell you, would you be mad?” “Are you a criminal?” “No.” “Then it’s fine.” I smiled, walking backwards in front of him. He flicked my forehead with his finger, “You believe everything I say?” “Well, what reason would you have to lie to an ordinary civilian like me? To take advantage of my youth? My love of bathing?” “What are you talking about…” Though he didn’t get my reference to a new TV show, he still laughed. His laugh was clean and pure, making my heart skip a beat. I took a day off work and spent 32 hours with him in a hotel. I could guess some things about what he did based on the guns, military service, and secrecy. But since he didn’t say, I didn’t ask. We didn’t do anything more intimate than kissing in the hotel, just cuddling together to watch movies or play games. Actually, even that first kiss was an accident. I tripped on the hotel carpet and happened to fall right on top of him as he sat on the couch. My lips smacked against his teeth, making me wince in pain. He said he’d kiss it better, and the “better” kisses turned into more kisses. … But even if we did nothing, time wouldn’t slow down for us. When he was leaving, he asked, “Next time I come back, can I submit the paperwork?” “You haven’t even properly confessed yet, and I haven’t checked the goods!” I buried my bright red face in the blankets. He hugged me along with the blankets, “Ah! Little octopus! If you’d said you wanted to check the goods earlier, I wouldn’t have had to hold back for so long!” His tone was extremely frustrated, like someone who won the lottery but lost the ticket. I pushed him from inside the blankets. “Go, go, hurry and leave!” “Next time I’m back, we’ll check the goods, meet the parents, then I’ll submit the paperwork when I return!” My third time seeing him came quickly, just over two months later. Except for when on leave, he couldn’t use his cell phone. So for those two months, he could only call me for 10 minutes each weekend from a landline. If I missed his call, calling back wouldn’t reach him. So on weekends I kept my phone clutched in my hand at all times, trying to answer within the first second it rang. One time when his call came, I was crying after being angered by my roommate. She had people over for a party, left the living room a mess without cleaning up, and even let a stranger sleep in my bed. I used him as an emotional trash can, complaining for over 9 minutes. In the end he only had time to tell me to wait for him to come back. He was standing outside my office building again. He had gotten very tan somewhere, dark as soy sauce. “Why didn’t you call me? I could have taken time off.” I felt a bit angry, realizing I could have seen him earlier. For some reason, I felt overwhelmed with grievance. He smiled and planted a kiss on my lips, “We don’t have much time. Let’s not waste it being angry, okay?” Sigh… His time is so limited, I can’t even get properly mad. “Then hurry up and give me a hug, and we’ll make up.” He hugged me tightly. The lime scent on him smelled so good. He had driven here. I got in the passenger seat, “Where are we going?” “To meet the parents, remember we agreed last time.” “Your parents or mine?” “Yours of course. You’ve already met mine, haven’t you?” “Uh… about that… I haven’t mentioned you to them at all…” “It’s not too late to tell them now. Based on this traffic, we’ll reach your place in about 30 minutes.” “But you haven’t even asked if I want to marry you…” He took one hand off the wheel to stroke the back of my neck, “Oh no, I’ve proposed to you hundreds of times in my dreams, and you said yes every time. I think I got dreams and reality mixed up.” Damn. That was smooth. He brought lots of gifts, filling up the entire trunk. “It looks like you’re stocking up for Chinese New Year.” “I haven’t visited anyone’s parents in so many years, gotta make up for it, right?” “We’ve only known each other for a year, what do you mean ‘so many years’?” He ruffled my hair with his hand, “Counting from when you became an adult.”

I called my mom to say I was bringing my boyfriend over. She stopped her dance practice and rushed home with my dad. But in their hurry, they realized at the front door that they had dropped the keys somewhere along the way. I hadn’t lived with my parents for a while, and since this was a last-minute visit, I didn’t bring keys either. In the end, he showed off his skills by opening the lock with a $5 bill. Because of this lock-picking ability, my dad looked at him with scrutiny. My mom pulled me into the kitchen while my dad interrogated him in the living room. “What does Hayden do for work?” I brought out some fruit from the kitchen and sat down next to him. I secretly squeezed his palm. He smiled at me, “It’s okay, I got approval in advance to disclose some things.” My dad listened in confusion. Hayden continued speaking to my dad, “Uncle, I’m in the military, Special Forces. The details of my work are classified, and I can’t say which unit I belong to.” “Then what can you say?” My dad’s expression seemed to say, is that little bit even worth getting approval for? “I can say that I love Chloe very much and want to marry her. Due to the nature of my work, experiences, and strong personal conviction, I will especially cherish this relationship.” “Can you Special Forces guys retire?” “We can, but I’m not injured or disabled now. The country invests a lot to train a Special Forces soldier. For me to retire at this age would be a waste of national resources.” “…So you’re saying if you get injured or disabled, I should let my daughter marry you?” After leaving my house, he said my parents seemed pretty nice. “How so?” “Although they’re not very satisfied with me, they’re trying to accept me because you like me. Pretty open-minded.” “Don’t you Special Forces guys have to study psychology too? Can you see right through people at a glance?” He thought for a moment then shook his head, “I can’t see through you.” “Why not?” “Probably because the ‘like’ factor throws off my judgment.” He paused. “When I talk to others, I can usually predict what they’ll say 3-4 sentences ahead. But you always seem to be outside my expectations.” “That doesn’t count as a proper confession.” I pouted. “See, I didn’t anticipate that response either. I thought you’d say ‘We’ve only met three times, how much can you like me?’ But you said this doesn’t count as a confession. You didn’t doubt the authenticity of me liking you at all.” “Why would I doubt it? I know how lovable I am.” He put his arm around me and said, “Yes, yes, you’re right about everything.” After leaving my parents’ house, he took me to an apartment downtown. He said, “I’m sorry, when you need me, you never know where I am.” I said, “You’re protecting the world.” He smiled, a bit bitterly. Luckily I’m sweet, just right to balance out his bitterness. “I don’t have much money now, but I bought an apartment for you first.” “For me?” “Yes.” He handed over a property deed with my name on it. Although I don’t know how he managed to buy me a house without alerting me, and although it’s just a small apartment that I could afford myself, a warm feeling rose from my stomach. “This is my salary card. The PIN is your birthday. If you need money in the future, just take it from here.” “How much is in it?” “After buying the apartment, there should be close to $100,000 left.” “So much?! I thought soldiers were supposed to be dirt poor.” “This is all your husband’s bonuses, injury compensations, and salaries from the past six years…” “So you make over $1000 a month on average, that’s not bad… Ow!” He flicked my forehead again. “My monthly salary is just a few hundred dollars. The rest is mostly bonuses and injury pay. Think about me a little, will you?” “But if you give me all your salary, what about you?” “Even if I had money, I don’t have time to spend it. Please do me a favor and spend more.” “You got it!” While I was showering, I heard the sound of the door opening. I quickly poked my head out of the bathroom, “You’re not suddenly leaving, are you?” “I’m not leaving, just going downstairs to buy something.” His smile was very telling. I immediately knew what he was going to buy. I went back under the shower with a red face. Gosh, I’m suddenly feeling nervous. I lay alone in bed. The sheets had gone cold, and he still hadn’t returned. I called his phone, but it was turned off. I sent messages on SnapChat, but got no reply. Now I finally understood what his sister Jenny meant when she said liking her brother was tough, but to never give up. This isn’t just tough. It’s downright miserable. A month later, I finally got a call from him. He explained that he had suddenly received a mission that night and had to rush to the mission location. It was a classified mission, so he couldn’t tell me about it. I stayed silent on the phone. “Little octopus, we only have 10 minutes to talk each week. Are you going to use it all to be angry?” “You can’t always use that tactic to threaten me.” “Who says it works so well? Haha.” “Even though I’m talking to you now, I’m writing it all down in my grudge notebook.” “Great, come get your revenge next time we meet!” “I used your money to buy a house.” “What do you mean my money? Don’t you know how to talk? That’s our money.” “Oh.” “Where did you buy? Was it enough?” “In the tech district. I added some of my own money too.” “Then I’ll work harder and try to get another bonus by the end of the year to make up for what you put in.” “It’s all ours together anyway.” “Right, it’s ours together.” He sounded really happy. I could hear people around him teasing and calling me “sister-in-law”. He told them to go away several times, then said into the phone, “Little octopus, I want to ask you, can I submit the marriage application report now?” “Hayden Wilson, I still haven’t checked the goods yet.” He laughed, “Got it, I’ll submit the application first then.” “?” “Absolutely Grade A goods.” “Oh, get out of here.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295840”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn #校园School #惊悚Thriller

I’m a well-known socialite in the city’s nightlife scene. Despite my average looks and unremarkable figure, I’ve made quite a name for myself with my silver tongue, able to charm anyone into opening their wallet. I play both sides – the wealthy patrons and their wives. My reputation as a discreet informant is excellent because I’m only interested in money, not fame or status. But recently, I hit a snag. The hospital said there was a new treatment for my sister’s illness. After two years of medication, there was hope to control her condition enough for surgery. However, each pill cost $2,000, and two years’ worth was equivalent to the price of a house in the city. I couldn’t worry about that now. I started frantically accumulating money, taking on difficult clients I’d usually avoid. Like Lucas Graham. The first time we met, he transferred half a million dollars into my account for drinks without hesitation. Everyone in the club was green with envy, encouraging me to pursue him. But I remained surprisingly calm. Because the way he looked at me wasn’t filled with the usual lust. It was pure and clear, like a schoolboy caught red-handed delivering breakfast to his crush. One glance and I knew he liked me, but I only wanted to empty his pockets. I held his hand, kissed him softly, sent “good morning” and “good night” messages, showered him with sweet nothings. Soon enough, I had saved up for the medication. I had also won Lucas’s affection. He wanted to divorce his wife and elope with me. At first, I didn’t take it seriously, assuming it was just a moment of passion. But on the third day, he actually pulled out divorce papers, asking for my input on how to write them without shortchanging his wife. I was stunned. Unlike my usual role as a double agent informing the wives, this time I was helping the original wife win back her husband’s heart, solidifying my reputation in the circle. I had considered marrying into a wealthy family myself. Even if it angered my sister to the point of collapse, money could save her. But for some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. So the next day, I went to stake out Lucas’s house at dawn. I thought I’d have to wait until mid-morning, or maybe even miss her entirely. But after circling the area a few times, I spotted a woman who might be the wife in the garden. She was standing with her back slightly turned to me, her long, slender neck exposed. Wearing a long white dress, she was bent over tending to some flowers. She looked every bit the goddess. I couldn’t help but marvel. Men truly are greedy, keeping the red flag flying at home while raising colorful flags outside. If I had a wife with both a perfect body and face, I would— I’d rip her heart out! After admiring the beautiful woman’s figure, I eagerly waited to see her face. I crouched patiently by the fence, waiting for her to turn around. When she finally did, I felt my blood freeze instantly, then surge back through my body, rushing to my heart and brain. It was a face that had tormented me for nearly ten years. Even though I’d seen so many disgusting faces since then, seeing her again made me tremble with fear, which slowly turned to excitement and wild joy. Natalie Cove, I’ve finally found you. In middle school, I was admitted to the city’s best high school with the top score in the city. I wasn’t excited about getting into the best school, but because it meant three years of free tuition. I happily told my sister that we were getting closer to our dream. Once I got into the best university, I’d take her to see the world and earn big money for her treatment. My sister was equally joyful. She had always been proud of her little sister who now had a bright future. Unfortunately, our happy fantasy didn’t even last until the first day of school. The homeroom teacher announced in the class group chat that he had been assigned an outstanding student from a poor family, a genius he had never seen before in his career, and asked everyone to take care of me. Although there wasn’t a single derogatory word and he called for everyone to protect me, he had clearly set me apart from the others. At the time, I naively thought that if I performed well in front of my classmates after school started, they wouldn’t isolate me. After school started, I realized I wasn’t isolated because of my excellent grades, but because I was from a poor family yet had excellent grades. Natalie Cove was the ringleader of the bullying. The screws on my chair were loosened, causing me to fall; I was locked in the boys’ bathroom, then reported to the teacher for trying to seduce male classmates; during the school sports meet, they switched my pants, causing me to expose my underwear in front of thousands of people. For a long time after that, I was too scared to go to school. My sister was already overwhelmed, so I didn’t dare tell her. Every day, I pretended to go to school but went to work odd jobs instead. Until the homeroom teacher came to my house with a dropout notice, tearfully telling my sister how stubborn and antisocial I was at school. He said he had tried to persuade me, but I wouldn’t listen, and now I had even been caught skipping classes and was being strongly advised to drop out. I didn’t dare tell my sister what I had been through. I could only submit to the homeroom teacher, kneeling and begging him not to expel me. After my sister and I pleaded with him, I was granted a special pardon to return to school. When I went back, I found out that without me to bully, Natalie and her group had pressured the homeroom teacher to bring me back, threatening to ruin his promotion if he didn’t. I started learning to keep my head down. If they wanted me to eat leftovers, I ate them. If they told me to write love letters to gang members to seduce them, I wrote them. If they forbade me from studying, I didn’t study. I suppressed all my resentment, obediently waiting for them to get bored and leave me alone. During this time, I quietly sabotaged Natalie’s relationship, causing her to fall out with her friends and isolate each other. As the college entrance exam approached, I even prepared a big show for them. Unfortunately, Natalie’s grades were too poor to hope for university, so her family arranged for her to study abroad. The others were also arranged by their families, and from one day on, they never came to school again. Until today, nine years later, I finally saw Natalie Cove again. I hired a private investigator to look into Natalie’s background and experiences, while I started to string Lucas along. The report showed that Natalie came from a blended family. When she was four, her mother married into the powerful Cove family in River City. Because of the questionable methods her mother used to marry up, and the family patriarch’s lukewarm attitude towards them, the mother and daughter didn’t have an easy time in the Cove family, enduring all sorts of hardships. But marrying into the Cove family with a child in tow proved her mother’s exceptional skills, which were demonstrated again in Natalie’s marriage. Lucas and Natalie’s marriage wasn’t voluntary. Before this, he had a girlfriend of 8 years, but Natalie’s mother maneuvered to break them up, successfully arranging for her daughter to take her place. Despite this, Lucas still harbored feelings for his ex-girlfriend. Although he didn’t mistreat his wife after marriage, he didn’t love her either. And I happened to look very similar to his ex-girlfriend, a sort of spiritual replacement. I couldn’t help but sneer. Rich people really are all the same. As I flipped through the expensive information, slowly crafting my revenge plan, I suddenly saw the Cove family patriarch, Natalie’s stepfather – Victor Cove. I had seen him at the club before. The man wore gold-rimmed glasses, his shirt buttoned up to the last one, his large hands with distinct knuckles holding a wine glass, his well-tailored clothes outlining his muscular and smooth body lines. Just one look made me blush. What a catch! No wonder Natalie’s mother had gone to such lengths to get into his bed. The man was rich, handsome, and well-built. If he weren’t so much older, I’d want to try my luck. It would be worth it even for free. Moreover, he seemed interested in me. I still remember in the dim, ambiguous light of the bar, the man swirling his wine glass, looking at me with a lazy expression, his burning gaze roaming over my body like a predator waiting to pounce. Too bad I didn’t know he was Natalie’s father at the time. Otherwise… Otherwise… As I thought about it, I changed my plan. What’s the point of just stealing her husband? If I could steal her mother’s husband too, wouldn’t that double the satisfaction? So that night, I went back to the club hoping to try my luck. To my surprise, I actually ran into him. Victor was sitting alone, still holding his wine glass like last time, half of his face hidden in the shadows, lost in thought. In just ten minutes, all the girls who tried to approach him were scared away. I couldn’t help feeling a bit timid. What if I miscalculated and scared him off? Unexpectedly, as if sensing my presence, he looked up at me just as I was about to leave. His expression and gaze were the same as before. I was startled and fumbled, dropping my glass. The man slightly curled his lips, patted his thigh, and beckoned to me. Through the dim lights and dancing figures, I saw his lips form the words: Come here. Victor was even more generous with his money. Just by hanging on his neck and acting coy, he slipped a black card into my pocket. I took out the card, planning what to buy and resell tomorrow. The medication cost was covered, but there was still the surgery fee, and after that, the rehabilitation costs. Victor treated me like a plaything to amuse himself, and I treated him like a wallet to make money from. We each got what we wanted. As for his wife and daughter, after a few probes, I found that he really didn’t care about them. So I completely let loose, investigating Lucas and his ex-girlfriend thoroughly as well. I started to subtly imitate his ex-girlfriend in front of Lucas. For example, when watching movies together, I would act spoiled and nestle into his arms. I’d ask him to feed me when eating or drinking, and make him help me put on my shoes when going out, acting every bit like a pampered princess. Lucas started to stare at me absent-mindedly more often. Finally, one day when we were shopping for home decor, he brought up that topic again. “Aria, marry me.” At that moment, I was holding a vase, asking him if he knew how to arrange flowers. I slowly put the vase back, looking troubled. “Lucas, we…” Lucas immediately pulled me into his arms, gently kissing the top of my head to comfort me. “Don’t be afraid, Aria. This time, I’ll protect you no matter what.” I clutched his clothes tightly, pretending to tremble in fear. Sure enough, a few days later, someone came looking for me. I looked at the address she sent on my phone, my hand shaking as I applied lipstick. I hope you haven’t forgotten me, after all, I’ve been thinking about you all these years – Natalie Cove. When I officially met her at the coffee shop, I couldn’t help but marvel again. A girl raised in wealth really is beautiful, something I could never match up to no matter how hard I tried. Natalie was dressed in plain colors, her long hair falling over her shoulders, every gesture exuding a strong sense of intimacy. It seems her mother had put a lot of effort into her, turning a viper’s daughter into the image of a saint. After I sat down, she stared at me for a while. Tears slowly began to fall from her eyes, but she tried hard not to let her lips quiver. She even added a sugar cube to my coffee. Naturally, I couldn’t let her outdo me. I half-crouched by her legs, crying even more heartbrokenly than her, as if I’d lost the love of my life. Natalie was thrown off balance by my counterattack, but she quickly regained her composure. She begged me not to take Lucas away, saying she would give me any amount of money, just asking me to return her husband to her. The coffee shop wasn’t very crowded, but her crying attracted everyone’s attention, even people from outside came in. I didn’t care about my reputation, what I wanted was to drag her down into the gutter, to become what I once was! “What are you talking about? Lucas has always been yours, no one’s trying to take him away,” I sobbed, barely able to catch my breath, my words stuttering, “Besides, Lucas… he likes you, he’s just… just reluctant to let go…” Actually, this scene should be familiar to Natalie. It was similar to when she and her mother used fake photos to deceive Lucas’s ex-girlfriend. As the victor of that battle, she might have forgotten about it. But Lucas would definitely remember. “What are you doing?!” Just as I was crying so hard I almost fell to my knees, Lucas’s voice rang out from behind me. Soon, I was lifted up and held protectively in his arms. Before coming, I had asked my friends at the club to “tattle” on me to Lucas, saying I was afraid of causing him trouble and had gone alone to meet his wife. I had timed it perfectly, repeating the words of his ex-girlfriend from years ago. As expected, Lucas was furious. “Do I need to remind you how you married into the Graham family? I’m warning you, don’t mess with her. If you know what’s good for you, just sign the agreement quietly. Otherwise, be careful, I might expose all your dirty secrets!” Lucas pointed at Natalie’s nose, looking at her like a mortal enemy. In contrast, Natalie seemed to hear nothing, her eyes fixed on Lucas’s arms tightly wrapped around me, red veins creeping into her eyes. It seems she really does love Lucas. So I snuggled even closer into Lucas’s embrace, turning my head to give Natalie a challenging look. Natalie finally couldn’t hold back. All pretense of grace was gone as she grabbed me and slapped me hard across the face. I forcefully held back the urge to slap her back, stopping Lucas who was about to step forward. I looked up at Lucas one last time, my eyes full of hot tears, then fled in a panic. As I closed the door, I heard the crisp sound of a slap and Natalie’s piercing scream. After walking quite far, I finally stopped. I gently touched the cheek that had been slapped, unable to hold back a curse: “You little bitch, just wait. When I become your stepmother, I’ll beat you black and blue!” “Whose stepmother do you want to be?” I whirled around to find Victor standing behind me, one hand in his pocket. Victor took me back to his private residence. I thought something might happen. Instead, he sat in the courtyard with his laptop, dealing with documents, allowing me to run wild around the house. Perhaps Victor had some kind of magnetic field; I always felt inexplicably uninhibited around him. Like now— After showering, I sprawled carelessly on the sofa, playing with my phone. Beside me was a fruit platter brought by the secretary, along with some ointment. Then I bounced over to the master bedroom. The mirror there was especially large and bright. I lowered my head to unscrew the cap, turning my face to the side to apply the ointment. Suddenly, a hot body pressed against me from behind. Victor wrapped his arm around my waist, his lips brushing my ear. “Who hit you?” I shuddered and melted into his arms, whimpering and pushing him away halfheartedly. He took the ointment from me. The cool ointment spread across my face, slowly easing the burning sensation. I alternated between looking in the mirror and at Victor. The detective sent a message saying that Victor had bought my information at a high price. She had concealed my investigation for me, but left everything else intact for Victor. This included my orphaned childhood, my sister’s chronic illnesses, the bullying I suffered in high school leading to poor performance in the college entrance exam, and my subsequent disillusionment and entry into the nightlife to make money. My 24 years of life were the embodiment of a tragic story, completely overlapping with Victor’s early experiences. That’s right, Victor was also a self-made man who had climbed out of the gutter. Otherwise, why would he marry a divorced single mother at the prime age of 23? I sent the detective $50,000, thanking her for the timely information. A woman’s innate compassion made me feel a bit sorry for Victor. I had struggled for years but still had my sister by my side. He seemed to have had no one by his side since losing his mother as a child. Then I found it funny. He had power and money to keep him company, while my revenge depended on him. What right did I have to pity him? Seeing me lost in thought, Victor buried his head in my neck and bit down hard. “Will you be with me?” His voice was full of seduction and temptation, hiding a barely detectable hint of inquiry. I buried my face in Victor’s chest, my face still covered in ointment. Wasn’t this exactly what I wanted? Almost without effort, Natalie’s husband and father had both fallen into my hands. But I still wasn’t satisfied. Did being pushed into the gutter mean I could only bloom in the mud? Despite this, I heard my own voice, trembling with joy: “Then please don’t ever abandon me.” Satisfied with my answer, Victor grabbed my waist and started kissing me. You might not believe it, but despite my years in the nightlife and countless wealthy patrons, I had never truly given myself to anyone. So when Victor carried me to the bedroom, I wanted to push him away and run several times, but my reason told me I couldn’t. Outside was the bright midday sun, and the room was too bright with nowhere to hide. That’s when I realized that perhaps I was no longer suited to return to the light. Victor gently laid me on the bed. Just when I thought he would press down on me, he turned and drew the curtains. He sat on the other side of the bed with his back to me, letting out an almost inaudible sigh, then pulled me down to lie with him.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295857”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn #浪漫Romance

After the car accident, I was rushed to the hospital. Before the anesthesia fully took effect, I heard the lead surgeon making a phone call. “Mr. Wilson, are you sure you want to proceed with a complete hysterectomy? This will have a significant impact on the patient’s body, and recovery will be very difficult.” “Yes, make sure to remove her uterus completely. Leo is enough for me.” A tear rolled down the corner of my eye. So Leo wasn’t the child of his deceased comrade after all. I was utterly devastated. There’s no room for betrayal between lovers, so I decided to set him free. Pain exploded from deep within my uterus, and I suddenly coughed up blood. “Blood pressure is too low, we can’t stop the bleeding.” “Quick, blood transfusion!” I could smell the metallic scent of blood all around me. “The patient is conscious! Push more propofol!” At that moment, it was pouring rain outside. Just like that night three years ago. James came home carrying Leo, saying he was the last bloodline of his comrade. That was also the first time I saw Leo. Just then, a young nurse said with a trembling voice, “Doctor, she… she’s pregnant… six weeks along.” Then came the lead surgeon’s voice, “It’s not written in her medical records that she’s pregnant!” As my consciousness faded, I suddenly remembered something. At the shooting range, James stood behind me, holding my hands as I pulled the trigger. The moment the bullet pierced through the center of the target, my heart skipped a beat. He chuckled softly in my ear. “My darling, what a good shot.” This belated bullet now struck me right in the heart, piercing through me, leaving me bleeding profusely. “Quick, tell Mr. Wilson, what if this child…” “No, Mr. Wilson is busy.” The assistant’s voice continued. “Proceed as planned, take care of it.” When I woke up again, James was sitting by the bed with reddened eyes. Seeing me open my eyes, he let out a sigh of relief. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Finally awake, I’m so glad you’re okay.” His voice was trembling as he spoke. But I remained expressionless. Seeing no reaction from me, he thought I hadn’t fully recovered. James quickly called for the doctor. The doctor looked at me with sympathy, hesitating to speak. Finally, the doctor prescribed some sleeping medication for me. The doctor said my physical recovery was going well. But the loss of my uterus had caused significant psychological trauma, leading to extreme stress. I don’t know if it was because I had taken too many sleeping pills over the years and developed a tolerance. Surprisingly, I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time. James didn’t know. Seeing me lying in bed with my eyes closed for a long time without moving, he thought I had fallen asleep. I heard him let out a sigh. “Darling, don’t blame me, I had no choice. I” “promised Sophia I would take good care of her child.” “I know you’re kind-hearted, but once you have your own child, you definitely won’t be able to treat Leo as your own.” “For Leo’s sake, we can’t have any more children.” So, this was the truth. It wasn’t the first time I had heard the name Sophia. The first time I learned of her existence was at her funeral. At that time, James and I had just gotten married. James didn’t have much reaction to her death, he calmly told me she was his first love. He said that after Sophia broke up with him, she married a gambler out of spite. The gambler often abused her. This led her to develop depression and eventually commit suicide by jumping into the sea. Her body was never found. The coffin only contained her clothes from when she was alive. When I heard this story at the time, I only thought about the unpredictability of life and didn’t think much more of it. But now, replaying that scene in my mind, I realized something was off. At that time, he was smiling, but there was no joy in his eyes. As I thought about it, I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up again, James was still by my bedside. He looked very tired, constantly rubbing his temples. Seeing me wake up, he quickly put down his work. He saw me trying to sit up and moved with extreme gentleness and care. Two nurses nearby exchanged glances, their eyes filled with envy and curiosity. They whispered to each other. “Mr. Wilson is so good to his wife, he’s been here the whole time, never left.” “Yeah, everyone knows Mr. Wilson is a doting husband.”

As I listened, it became increasingly grating. After the young nurses left, James also joked along. “What’s wrong, is my wife feeling shy?” I pressed my lips together, not looking at him. He thought I was still upset about losing my uterus. “Don’t be sad, we have Leo, don’t we?” “When Leo gets a bit older, I’ll send him to school daycare, and we can have our time together.” James held me in his arms, chuckling softly in my ear. In the past, I often said similar things. I used to say that no matter how tough things got, we shouldn’t make life hard for ourselves. Once the kids were older, we’d send them all to daycare, and James and I would live our lives together, free to go wherever we pleased. But now I couldn’t even smile. My child was gone. And I would never have another. At that moment, I suddenly noticed the brownish stains on James’s sleeve cuffs. I recognized it as the watercolor paint mixed with turpentine from James’s private studio, with its distinctive sweet and pungent smell. In his studio, there was a hidden painting – a girl in a school uniform standing on a rock, smiling wildly and carefree. That girl was Sophia. Even when I was in a life-threatening car accident, he still went to the studio to look at her. When did I discover this painting? Just before the car accident happened. James never allowed anyone to enter his studio, not even me. He usually liked to stay in there, sometimes for an entire day. Once, Leo mischievously snuck into the studio. When James found out, he was furious, even though none of the works in the studio were damaged. That was also the first time I realized how important the studio was to him. Of course, to be precise, it wasn’t the studio that was important, but that painting. After that day, I vaguely guessed something. Finally, I couldn’t resist and snuck into the studio when he wasn’t home. There were many works in the studio, most of which featured me and Leo. But the most eye-catching was a life-sized portrait as tall as a wall, beautifully framed. The person in the painting was unmistakably the same as the one in the funeral photo. So, every minute and second he locked himself in here, he was looking at Sophia. In a mix of grief and anger, I got into a car accident. “Where’s Leo? I want to see him.” The moment I spoke, I startled myself. My voice was as hoarse as a rusty blade. James’s arms around me suddenly tightened, his eyes filled with concern. This look reminded me of that special funeral. When he saw Sophia’s belongings in the coffin, he had the same lost and helpless expression. James answered me, “Leo is back at the family estate, my parents are with him.” Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had always doted on Leo. I originally thought it was because they were open-minded enough to accept a child not related to them by blood as their grandson. Now I realize, they probably knew all along that Leo was James’s biological child. From the beginning, I was the only one kept in the dark. I stayed in the hospital for over two weeks. He came to see me every day. But on the day I was discharged, he didn’t come. I didn’t even get a call from him. When I took a taxi home by myself, I heard laughter coming from inside as soon as I reached the entrance. I went in, and everyone looked over. Inside, besides James and Leo, there was a young woman I didn’t recognize. She seemed to have a great deal of hostility towards me. Seeing me appear, she snorted lightly and turned her face away. James looked at me in surprise, “Weren’t you supposed to be discharged tomorrow?” “It was today.” I answered casually, not taking it to heart. James felt very guilty, looking at me carefully, afraid I might get angry. Leo also happily ran towards me.

“Mommy.” But the girl suddenly stood up and pushed Leo back onto the sofa. She said viciously, “She’s not your mom, she’s…” James reacted faster than her: “Emily.” Emily… Sophia… I went over these two names in my head. But Emily wasn’t afraid of offending James. She put her hands on her hips, “You’re just a homewrecker.” “Enough!” James roared. After saying this, James turned to look at me. Seeing that I wasn’t hurt by Emily’s words, he let out a sigh of relief. Then he pulled me into his arms. He continued speaking, “Butler, please show Miss Emily out.” Emily’s face turned ugly. She glared at me with wide eyes, as if she wanted to swallow me whole. Leo still didn’t understand what was happening. He only knew that the nice big sister who played with his toys was being sent away. He became unhappy, sat down on the floor, and started crying loudly. “Daddy, I want Emily to stay and play with me.” James ignored his crying and after instructing the butler to send Emily away, he picked me up and walked upstairs. I didn’t struggle. But now when he was close to me, I only felt uncomfortable all over. When we reached the bedroom, he put me on the bed. James looked at me, his eyes full of tenderness and love. “Darling, don’t take it to heart, that girl just now was just a lunatic.” “Who is she?” I asked. “She’s Sophia’s younger sister. When I was with Sophia back then, she was just a little kid who didn’t understand anything.” “She just thinks I’m a scumbag because I broke up with her sister.” As he spoke, he laughed. Maybe he didn’t even realize it himself, but his words were all about making excuses for Emily. I remember before, when one of his pursuers said I wasn’t good enough for James in front of me. He immediately kicked that person out of the party without a second thought. And declared that anyone who disrespected me in the future would be going against the Wilson family. Sure enough, not long after, that girl’s family went bankrupt, and the whole family emigrated abroad, with no news since. But now, when Emily called me a homewrecker to his face, he only gave her a light scolding. Just because Emily was Sophia’s sister, he was being lenient. At this moment, Leo came running in crying. Amidst the noise, I saw a jade green bracelet on Leo’s wrist. It was the one I had gotten for my own child. I suddenly lost all reason. My child died so tragically, while his illegitimate son was standing here perfectly fine. I went crazy trying to tear off the bracelet. Leo was scared and cried even louder. When James reacted, he forcefully pushed me away. My body hadn’t fully recovered, and with this push, I was thrown against the wall. At that moment, it felt like all my internal organs had shifted. The wounds on my body also opened up, seeping blood. But James didn’t notice any of this. He picked up Leo to comfort him, not forgetting to turn back and look at me reproachfully. He had never looked at me with such cold eyes before. Leo also pointed at me, “Bad woman, bad woman…” James didn’t refute his words, only leaving me with one sentence. “You need to calm down and think clearly.” I was utterly despaired. The pain in my body was far less than the pain in my heart. I don’t know how long passed before a housekeeper walked in. Seeing my pale face, she ran over anxiously. “Ma’am, Ma’am, are you alright?” Covering my burst wound, I managed to squeeze out a few words, “Take… take me… to the hospital…” After saying this, I passed out.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too serious. The doctor stitched up my wound again, gave me some instructions, and then let me be discharged. The doctor also said, “The surgeon who performed your hysterectomy was very skilled, there are no complications.” I froze, feeling absurd. “However, you still need to take good care of yourself, otherwise it could still be dangerous,” the doctor continued, looking at my examination report. I nodded and left the hospital. As soon as I left the hospital, I received a call from James. “Where did you go?” “Out.” I answered perfunctorily. James was taken aback. His tone was still harsh, after all, I had almost hurt his precious son. “Leo’s birthday is in a couple of days, you better prepare well. Whether Leo forgives you depends on your performance.” I laughed out loud. I had treated my husband’s illegitimate son as my own, caring for him meticulously, and I was the joke. I desperately held back my tears, “James, do you remember what I said? I can’t tolerate deception and betrayal.” James sensed something was off. But he didn’t think too much about it, only feeling that I had been gloomy ever since the car accident. He thought, surely losing my uterus had hit me hard. Thinking of this, James suddenly felt guilty. His tone softened considerably. “Don’t overthink it, come home quickly, Leo and I are waiting for you.” After hanging up the phone, I sat alone on a bench by the roadside. I had figured it out. We had to separate. James and I were already impossible from the moment I discovered that portrait of his. I cried out loud. Because of my lack of calm and rationality, I had caused the death of my own child. I didn’t go back directly, instead I contacted a lawyer to discuss the details of the divorce. By the time I finished all this, it was already dark. During this time, James hadn’t called me once. But Emily had added me on social media. Her first message was: “Hmph, homewreckers never end up well.” I was about to block her, thinking out of sight, out of mind. But she seemed to predict my thoughts. “Don’t block me, don’t you want to know about my sister’s story with James?” My hand hovering over the block button paused. Messages came one after another. “Did James tell you that my sister married a gambler out of spite after breaking up with him?” “That’s not true. Back then, it was my sister who initiated the breakup because she was an independent woman who wanted to pursue her dreams.” “My sister broke up with him to study abroad. You don’t know how James cried and begged my sister not to leave.” Then, there was a surveillance video from an airport. In the frame was a very young and naive James. The young man in a school uniform ran frantically, sweating profusely. He humbly pulled the girl in front of him, “Don’t go, Sophia, don’t leave.” But Sophia didn’t even look at him, coldly shaking off his hand and leaving directly. After Sophia left, James seemed to lose his soul, and even coughed up blood. The video ended abruptly. Just watching it, you could tell James loved Sophia desperately. I always thought James was a person who would remain calm and rational even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of him. After all, in the years I’ve known him, he’s always been composed no matter what happened. But I never imagined he had this side to him. It was as if Sophia leaving would take half his life with her. These past few days, I hadn’t gone back. I made up some excuse and stayed at a hotel. Surprisingly, James didn’t ask much. When he heard I wasn’t coming back, he seemed relieved. On Leo’s birthday. I took a taxi to the Wilson family estate early. Just as I reached the main gate of the estate, someone bumped my shoulder. Before I could turn to look, I heard a gentle female voice. “James, I’m back.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “295873”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance